Music and More

Ted Rosenthal Trio - Out of This World (Playscape, 2011)

2012-02-01T22:09:00.006-05:00

Pianist Ted Rosenthal came to prominence as an early winner of the Thelonious Monk competition for piano, and then moved on to an impressive career as a bandleader, sideman and educator. On this particular album, he has chosen to re-interpret a program of jazz and popular standards, molding and shaping them into new forms and dimensions, like an artist working with clay. In this endeavor, he is joined by Noriko Ueda on bass and Quincy Davis on drums. The goal of the recording is not to dwell on past interpretations of these familiar songs, but to be mindful and improvise in the moment spontaneously, creating in real time. Opening with the title track "Out of This World," the music develops rapidly with thick sounding bass and agile drumming, that push and probe throughout, allowing the music to build to a fast and strong conclusion. "So in Love" matures as a subtle, open spaced ballad. Lush piano and supple bass build in the romanticism before a push-pull dynamic between the musicians begins to create friction, heating things up to a finish featuring rippling piano and throbbing bass. The pace builds back to a fast simmer on "Have You Met Miss Jones" developing gracefully where he piano and percussion trade off phrases along with loping bass. "Prelude No. 2" slows things back down with fluttering drums that envelop the slow ballad in an uncrushed pace that allow the musicians to probe at will. I really enjoyed the sound of Udea's bass here (and throughout the album as a whole) and she is given some fine solo space in this track. Ballad playing is also the order of the day on Billy Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom," opening with unaccompanied piano, the music seems unmoored, floating and drifting which ever way their muses will take it. Davis is impressive here, developing a light swirl of brushes that well suits the mood of the performance. "Cry me a River" is given a makeover that begins ominously with chattering drums moving into a fast swinging section that alternates with dark stormy chords. Things ramp up with a lightning fast piano solo followed by a rapid drum response. This was a fine, well rounded album that achieved its goal of making well known music sound fresh while not sacrificing the melodic content that made it memorable in the first place. Out Of This World - amazon.com

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Charles Mingus - Black Saint And The Sinner Lady/Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (Impulse 2-on-1) (Impulse, 2012)

2012-01-31T09:34:00.003-05:00

The great bassist and composer Charles Mingus only recorded a few albums for the Impulse! label, but two of the finest LPs of his career are included in this re-issued 2-fer. The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady presents some of Mingus most intricate composing and arranging. Overdubbing and re-arranging parts on the fly, this brings in everything from classical music to flamenco, creating intricate, beautiful music that references Ellington, Stravinsky and everything in between. The music flows in a suite, quite unlike anything Mingus had ever done before culminating in the awesome final movement, a medley “Medley: Mode D-Trio and Group Dancers/Mode E- Single solos and Group Dance/ModeF-Group and Solo Dance” that develops over eighteen minutes of brilliant unprecedented music to a furious finale. Recorded not long after, the Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus album takes a ten piece little big band and reprises several of Mingus' most well known compositions and was recorded in January and September of 1963. Highlights are many, including the tribute “Theme for Lester Young” (aka “Goodbye Pork-Pie Hat”) and the storming uptempo swingers “II B.S.” and “Better Get Hit In Your Soul.” A beautiful ballad version of Duke Ellington’s lovely “Mood Indigo” is performed, but it really is a shame that one of Mingus’ great protest/civil rights pieces “Freedom” was cut from this re-issue due to time constraints, it was one of Mingus most potent topical statements. The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady / Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (Impulse 2-on-1) - amazon.com

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Books: John Connolly; Tom Piccirilli

2012-01-29T19:08:00.005-05:00

Dark Hollow by John Connolly It has been nearly a year since Charlie Parker's wife and daughter were murdered, a killing he avenged at the end of the first novel in this series, Every Dead Thing. Moving to his ancestral home in Maine, Parker gets a private investigator's license almost as an afterthought, spending most of his time fixing up his grandfather's old house and trying to heal his wounds. When he offers to speak to a husband overdue on child support on behalf of the struggling wife, he unwittingly comes into the crosshairs of the Boston mafia, who has recently been stung to the tune of two million dollars. Add to this the awakening of a long dormant serial killer and the fact that the daughter of his former best friend has gone missing nearby adds to Charlie Parker's troubles. The second book in the Parker series is a big one with Connolly juggling several plot-lines at once and doing a good job of it. Parker is trying to stay off the radar of the mafia, while looking for a deadbeat Dad the mafia is also chasing - and who also may be the illegitimate son of the newly awakened serial killer! The fact that this book reads well and is not nearly as contrived as I have described it is a testament to Connolly's skill as a writer and storyteller. Charlie Parker and his friends Angel and Louis continue to evolve as multi-dimensional characters, and the small amount of supernatural su

spense woven into the story is done well and deftly adds an extra sense of atmospheric texture to a fine story.

The Last Dee p Breath by Tom Piccirilli When Grey's parents were killed in an automobile accident on an icy road, he is placed in an abusive foster home where he becomes close to his new "siblings," Pax and Ellie. When the tables are finally turned and Pax nearly beats the abusive foster father to death, the three agree to stay close as they enter the adult world. Pax and Grey stay in contact: Pax is a career soldier, while Grey gets booted from the military and drifts from job to job. One night, after years of silence, Grey finds his foster sister curled in an alleyway with a knife in her ribs. Keeping her fron death's door, Grey learns that she is a junkie on the run who quickly disappears again and launches Grey's cross-country quest to try and save her. Grey's capacity for violence is foreshadowed by the women he meets in his journey west, where each one offers money and sex in return for Grey killing their husband. When he meets up with an actress on the west coast he finally has the entre he needs, discovering that Ellie had been making low-grade pornographic films to feed her habit, starring with her beau who was billed as "Harvey Wallbanger and His Twelve-Inch Wonder of the World." With leads from pornographic film agents to gentlemen's clubs turning up empty, Grey races back to New York to finally confront what has happened to his foster sister and to learn her final secrets. Tom Piccirilli is a master of the noir style of writing, keeping the prose lean and focused while at the same time communicating a great deal of information about the characters and their circumstances. Grey, like all of Picirilli's great characters is a lost and lonely soul looking for one final chance at redemption before the world swallows him whole in its great chaotic maw.

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Alice Coltrane - Huntington Ashram Monastery / World Galaxy (Impulse 2-on-1) (Impulse, 2012)

2012-01-26T18:12:00.003-05:00

There has been a new batch of 2-on-1 albums released delving deep into the back catalog of Impulse! Records and releasing some music that hasn't seen the light of day in a while or possibly never during the CD/Download era. This disc/download collects two albums by Alice Coltrane, where she deftly switches between piano, organ and harp accompanied by some excellent musicians and occasional string arrangements. Huntington Ashram Monestary was Alice Coltrane's second album for the Impulse and featured Ron Carter on bass and Rashied Ali on drums in addition to the leader's harp, piano and compositions. Many of the titles and compositions have spiritual themes reflecting the arena of Indian spirituality that she was moving to and would eventually lead her away from public performance for over 20 years in the 1980's and 90's. The title track leads off the record with some sparkling harp over full bodied bass and light percussion. The harp over percussion has the gentle feeling of water falling softly over a waterfall. "Turiya" also features harp, a rare instrument in jazz, over bass and drums with a soft, peaceful, almost new-age feel. "Paramahansa Lake" gives the harp a little darker sound and ends the first side of the record. "Via Sivanandagar" puts Ali back on sticks and as does "IHS" which is a very dark piano piece (the title stands for I Have Suffered) with bowed bass adding to the tension. Alice Coltrane plays the piano in a cascading fashion almost like the harp. "Jaga Jaga Rama" ends the album on another strong note with the full trio of piano, bass and drums. It's too bad there's no organ on this record as well, because I think it's the instrument where she has the most unique style, but nonetheless there is interesting music well worth checking out. On World Galaxy, she is supported by Frank Lowe on saxophone, Reggie Workman on bass and Ben Riley on drums. There is a large string section on some tracks and a couple of guest appearances. The has a gutsy interpretation of a song indelibly linked to her late husband, “My Favorite Things.” But this edition of the old standard takes moves in a fascinating new direction. Alice plays some beautifully pointed organ and piano, with the stings not acting as a sappy background, but as a swirling, whirling foil to her playing. The strings and harp take center stage on “Galaxy Around Olodumare” and “Galaxy Around Turiya” as the music builds to a meditative drone. “Galaxy in Satchidananda” features some of the organ work for which she is famous, unlike any of the famous jazz organists to come before her, she has a very unique sound, influenced by eastern and spiritual music. Alice’s guru makes a special spoken word appearance to promote peace and love, and then the band glides into a portion of “A Love Supreme” in which Alice’s now funky organ plays off against guest LeRoi Jenkins violin to an interesting effect. All in all, it’s a very interesting collection. Perhaps some aspects are a little dated, particularly the guru’s narration and the string orchestra draped over some parts of the music like a heavy velvet curtain, but most of it holds up quite well. Alice Coltrane’s music is overdue for critical reinterpretation since she made music that is well worth exploring. Huntington Ashram Monastery / World Galaxy (Impulse 2-on-1) - amazon.com

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Books: Tom Piccirilli

2012-01-25T16:46:00.001-05:00

Short Ride to Nowhere by Tom Piccirilli

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jenks and Hale are two regular working guys that live side by side, they're not great friends, but not enemies either. But when the recession comes, they suffer the same fate. Losing their jobs, having their houses foreclosed upon and having their wives leave them foce them to leave the outer boroughs and sleep in cars, homeless shelters and parks in Manhattan. When Jenks learns that Hale has killed himself at an asylum after being found near-dead next to the body of a young girl, Jenks makes it his mission to find out what happened. Moving from the asylum to Central Park shantytowns and homeless shelters where the cries of the lost rattle his very bones, Jenks puts the pieces together one by one and comes to a conclusion. One that must be paid for in blood... This novella really strikes to the bone of what has been happening during the recession as banks and lawyers run roughshod over working class people who are just trying to get by. Piccirilli writes with tough sympathy about the two characters, coming on like a modern day Steinbeck as the characters navigate the dark side of the American dream. Short Ride to Nowhere - amazon.com

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Daunik Lazro, Jean-Francois Pauvros, Roger Turner - Curare (NoBusiness, 2011)

2012-01-24T18:02:00.005-05:00

This collective trio, consisting of Daunik Lazro on baritone and alto saxophones, Jean-Francois Pauvros on guitar and Roger Turner on drums & percussion creates a wide variety of interesting soundscapes that test the boundaries of improvised music on this album, which brings together selections from two live concerts. "Morsure" opens the album with atmospheric low moans, scrapes and clanks. Escalating guitar and drums develop a chaotic maelstrom. There is a dynamic downturn to open percussion and an ominous feeling. Saxophone screeches are overblown with fear and angst. Brief probing honks percolate with slow and spare texture buzzing and scraping in "White Dirt." Sounds bubble up and fade out like in a dream, where saxophone groans against a rusting industrial backdrop as if fighting to stave off entropy and decay. The music builds to paranoid screams, insular and foreboding. "En Nage" develops boinging and twanging guitar and scraping percussion which become a very cool sounding reverberating against themselves, playing sound off against silence. Raw saxophone enters, punctuating with guttural shrieks, like a branding iron stamping it's mark on the music. Nasal alto saxophone swirls and cries like a lonely infant, engaging the percussion storm of crashing cymbals. Shifting to a low buzz, Lazro moves back to baritone and Pauvros tries to peel back layers of the music with ringing guitar. Background radiation builds like a coming solar storm, and saxophone shrieks around shy bass bullying, braying before finally moving the enveloping cacophony to exhausted finish. "The Eye" concludes the album with approptiately ominous guitar textures panning the scenery like the Eye of Sauron. Controlled baritone saxophone moves through the backdrop before switching to pinched sounding alto grappling for footing. Faster the music moves into a whirlwind of sound, drums thrashing and saxophone wailing. Soon, the battle is over and quiet saxophone forms poping sounds and swirls of air, scraping & rattling amongst the quiet. Curare - NoBusiness Records

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Chick Corea with Eddie Gomez and Paul Motian - Further Explorations (Concord, 2012)

2012-01-23T15:35:00.005-05:00

Pianist Chick Corea recorded this homage to the late pianist Bill Evans with former Evans collaborators Eddie Gomez on bass and drummer Paul Motian recorded live in 2010 at the Blue Note in New York City. These recordings are particularly poignant as they are among the last recorded documents of the great drummer Motian who anchored Bill Evans’ sublime trio with Scott LaFaro before embarking on a stellar career as a bandleader. The album contains a number of Evans compositions and as well as songs that are associated with him like the original “Peri’s Scope” and the LaFaro composition “Gloria’s Step.” The group develops the material collectively, whether totally improvised like the exciting “Off the Cuff,” or an excellent extended version of Thelonious Monk’s “Little Rootie Tootie.” Corea’s love of Spanish musical development lays the foundation for “Another Tango,” while bebop is represented with a fast paced version of Tadd Dameron’s “Hot House.” Evans’ own beautiful ballad “Turn Out the Stars” is given a heartfelt reading as well. The diversity of the material and the high level of interaction amongst the musicians drives this album beyond what one might expect from a standard “tribute” album. Gomez acts as a rock-solid pivot point for Corea and Motian to dance around like a may-pole, and the drummer is particularly inspired, adding the hushed mystery of his non-linear percussion. Finally this works well for Corea too, as much of a Evans fan as he may be, his playing style is quite different than the honoree and he brings a different sensibility to the music that is laser focused on spontaneous creativity and works very well. Further Explorations - amazon.com

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Books: Love Goes to Buildings on Fire by Will Hermes

2012-01-22T17:54:00.001-05:00

Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever by Will Hermes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many books and articles have been written about the music scene of the 1960's and then the punk scene of the late 1970's, but in music history, the mid-1970's have been something of a lost era, snubbed by critics as a time of vapid pop and pretentious progressive rock and jazz fusion. Will Hermes looks to set the record straight by focusing on the vibrant music scene in New York City during the years 1973-1977. Taking a wide angle view from rock to jazz, salsa and disco, Hermes shows that in New York City at least, the prevailing notion of an unproductive stretch of musical history is far from the truth. He follows the development of the jazz loft scene, a DIY culture where pioneers like Sam Rivers and Rashied Ali took control of their own destinies by opening their own music spaces in lofts and began to attract the finest improvisers from around the country. In fact, Hermes ends the formal narrative recounting a David Murray/Lester Bowie gig. The beginnings of the DJ and underground rap culture are examined in detail, developing into the club scene that would become disco. Using these genres along with the growing popularity of Latin salsa, Hermes uses them as a lens to view the socio-economic culture of New York City. Rock and roll and especially the birth pangs of what would become the punk scene are examined in detail. Following the likes of Patti Smith, The Ramones, The Talking Heads and burgeoning mega-star Bruce Springsteen, he is able to look at the different dynamics of how bands and musical personalities form and either prosper or flounder. Hermes writes knowingly about the avant-classical scene as well, following the likes of Phillip Glass and Steve Reich as they develop ever more progressive and large scale works. This was a very well written and extensively researched book (with a full bibliography for those looking to read more on a particular topic.) Hermes is able to spin stories so well that even aspects of the musical culture that I wasn't interested in like disco were interesting, if not for the music, than the way they wove themselves into the musical tapestry of the city. This is a very highly recommended book that is must reading for music fans or NYC scenesters. Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever - amazon.com

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Mockuno NuClear - Drop It (No Business, 2011)

2012-01-21T13:11:00.007-05:00

Liudas Mockunas is a young Lithuanian saxophonist playing alto, tenor and soprano who deserves attention. Joined on this adventurous album by members of his group Mockuno NuClear are Dmitrij Golovanov on piano and electric keyboards, Marijus Aleksa on drums plus Vytis Nivinskas on bass and Darius Rudis playing drums on a few tracks. The group makes music that cuts an exciting progressive path through modern improvised music. The opening and closing tracks, "Prelude" and "Take It" develop slowly and gradually like intro and outro pieces. Saxophone and piano probe on the former, with the pace gradually picking up as bass and shimmering drums join, returning to melodic sax and piano duet. The latter has quiet cyclic phrased saxophone with cymbal splashes, gradually building a long sax tone that is held until the end. "The Cursed (Prelude Variation 2)" has light toned sax solo sax swirling, gaining steam and brawn, while putting out small pithy phrases like musical morse code, shaded with overblowing, and textures woven well in this performance that was recorded live. "The Dark Side / The Bright Side (The Bright Side is Dedicated to Andrew Hill)" is a lengthy suite where percussion, raw saxophone electric piano combine like an electric period earthy electric Miles Davis stew, full of dark funk, raw and nasty, with guttural saxophone on the first part, and a low forlorn textural solo. The second half has the electric piano, bass and drum trio developing into strong collective post-bop improv, before Mockunas returns, providing long tones of saxophone over a slower tempo. "How to Earn Money" roars out of the gate with fast paced full band improvisation pulsating, and after a fast paced rippling piano, bass and drums interlude, saxophone and drums grapple like wrestlers in a very exciting duet section. "Elephant Tango" advances a cool sinuous melody growing forward with piercing saxophone taking things outside the traditional tango, then returning back to melodic improvisation with saxophone and drums setting the pace. Deep honks of sax with electric piano moving funky saxophone bleating and cool drum patterns low toned rhodes underpins "Drop It" with exciting drums and saxophone development. All in all a well played thought out set, making clear by degrees the group's attention to detail. Drop It - No Business Records

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Marty Ehrlich's Rites Quartet - Frog Leg Logic (Clean Feed, 2011)

2012-01-19T14:00:00.003-05:00

In their description of this album, Clean Feed draws the comparison between this group anchored by saxophonist Marty Ehrlich and cellist Hank Roberts to the great loft jazz music made between saxophonist Julius Hemphill and cellist Abdul Wadud during the 1970’s and 1980’s. The distinction is apt, and joining Ehrlich and Roberts on this date are James Zollar on trumpet and Michael Sarin on drums. While they aren’t quite as gritty as the likes of Hemphill’s recently re-released classic Dogon A.D., the group achieves a fine progressive jazz sound with Ehrlich and Zollar swirling and probing each other’s phrases, recalling records by Eric Dolphy and Booker Little or Chris Potter and Dave Douglas. “You Can Beat The Slanted Cards” and “Frog Leg Logic” make their case quite nicely with angular momentum moving with geometrical precision as the musicians improvise on the unusual themes. “Ballade” and “Solace” slow down the pace to an atmospheric and patient flow, Roberts and Sarin are particularly important in these performances as they are able to use subtle and gradual shifts in time and space to lay evolving textural shapes for the hornmen to react to, developing collective improvisations where everyone is interacting in real time. This is very solid and enjoyable modern jazz, steeped in the music that preceded them, but at same time making music that has a thoroughly modern sensibility. Frog Leg Logic - amazon.com

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Steve Lacy Quintet - Follies (FMP, 1978)

2012-01-18T12:02:00.004-05:00

The blog Destination: Out has struck a nice digital distribution deal with the German FMP Label, which has been documenting the European progressive jazz scene for many years. One of their most requested releases is this rare album from soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, in the company of regular cohorts Steve Potts on alto saxophone, Irène Aebi on cello, Kent Carter on bass and Oliver Johnson on drums. The music is quite fascinating and very accessible, making it an ideal entry point for listeners who are curious about Lacy’s work. Four lengthy improvisations were recorded live in Berlin during a free music festival are presented, with “The Crust” and “The Throes” really demonstrating the bands aesthetic purpose, with a wide open musical sensibility that allows the two saxophones to swirl and intertwine and then break into solo passages at will. The combination of viola and bass is excellent as well combining with Johnson’s agile drumming to develop a transforming platform that both supports and challenges the reed players. “Esteem” slows the music to a long probing improvisation with smears and shades of color and texture developing and morphing over the course of the performance. Echoes of Lacy’s mentor and former employer Thelonious Monk can be inferred on the finale “The Follies” where the band’s impish humor comes thorough in full force, where notes come flowing through in luxuriant quantities, with a feeling of limitless possibility and joy. This was one of the most requested albums in the FMP catalog for D:O (excellent primer here) and it is easy to see why. A strong and that was familiar with each other and the material, stretching and melding the music to make it continually fresh and appealing. Follies - Destination:Out.

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Bill Frisell Playlist

2012-01-16T17:13:00.003-05:00

To exhausted to compose a "real" post today, so if you do Spotify, checkout a playlist of some of my favorite Bill Frisell songs and let me know what you think. Thanks, Tim Bill Frisell

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Marilyn Crispell - Pianosolo: A Concert in Berlin (FMP, 1983)

2012-01-15T14:33:00.004-05:00

Conservatory trained pianist and composer Marilyn Crispell moved to jazz through the influence of John Coltrane and Cecil Taylor, and the latter’s cascading, exhilarating style imbues this rare concert recording with a sense of breathless excitement, as she uses the entire breadth and width of the instrument to her advantage in this excellent recording. The music on this album flows outward in one continuous suite with one section of music tumbling into another with grace and excitement. The music has a crystalline feel where every note is articulated like swirling snowflakes, culminating in the extraordinary “Pulsations, Spirals” with the intense meditation of freedom played off against the elegant mixing spare and pointillist ballad of “Early Light.” The music only drops its veneer of serious exploration during an enjoyable and semi-playful rendition of Thelonious Monk’s “Evidence.” I don’t want to make it sound like this is an overly sombre or academic exercise, because that is far from the case. The music is lean and very well thought out, and it is well worth investigating for fans of progressive piano playing. She continues to have an excellent career to this day with several well regarded albums as a leader or soloist, and a highly lauded stint with the Anthony Braxton quartet. Kudos to destination-out for bringing this previously rare album to wider recognition. Pianosolo: A Concert in Berlin - destination:out.

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Jazz and Blues: Sam Rivers, Eric Dolphy and Booker Little, Howlin' Wolf

2012-01-14T12:49:00.007-05:00

Sam Rivers - Hues (Impulse, 1973; Stardust, 2011) Re-issued for downloading and streaming shortly before he passed on last year, this is another excellent example of Rivers spontaneous creativity in a trio setting. Recorded live in different spots around the globe with a couple of different rhythm sections, each of the compositions and improvisations on this album, all named after colors, have a short, pointed blast of energy to them. The performances are all brief and sharp with Rivers switching between saxophones, flue and piano with great agility. Hues - amazon.com

Eric Dolphy and Booker Little Quintet - At the Five Spot Complete Edition (Essential Jazz Classics) Collecting all of the music recorded on July 16, 1961 by the extraordinary quintet consisting of Eric Dolphy on alto saxophone, bass clarinet and flute, Booker Little on trumpet, Mal Waldron on piano, Richard Davis on bass and Ed Blackwell on drums; this shows all of these formidable musicians, (two of them fated to pass away much too young) at the peak of their powers. All of these recordings except for Dolphy’s extraordinary solo bass clarinet excursion on the standard “God Bless the Child” are over ten minutes in length. Primarily consisting of original music that is still startling in its beauty and potency over fifty years later, this is a well presented collection of vitally important music that contains the liner notes to the original LP’s that the music was presented upon, and interestingly a collection of critical responses that places the music in the context of the jazz continuum as well as the progressive music of the era. At the Five Spot Complete Edition - amazon.com

Howlin’ Wolf - The Real Folk Blues (Chess Records, 1966) The great bluesman Howlin’ Wolf recorded primarily single 45 rpm records for Chess Records in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, and some of his better known singles were released on this influential LP during the height of the “blues revival” in the mid 1960’s. It’s easy to see how he was such an influential figure, with his imposing figure and commanding voice. Wolf makes no bones about his stature with the swaggering songs like “Built for Comfort” and the jaunty “300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy.” He could develop serious material, with his gravelly voice growling through “The Natchez Burning” and “Poor Boy.” There are a great many compilations of Howlin’s Wolf’s material for Chess Records, but this is a fine albeit brief introduction to his music. Real Folk Blues / More Real Folk Blues - amazon.com

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Rhapsody's 2011 Jazz Critics' Poll

2012-01-12T09:33:00.004-05:00

The results from Francis Davis' year end 2011 poll that I was honored to participate in are here, with quite a bit of information, including full results, an essay from Davis, notable new musicians of 2011 and a tribute to those who passed on. Tom Hull has the complete breakdown of voting here.

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Books: Every Dead Thing by John Connolly

2012-01-11T13:59:00.002-05:00

Every Dead Thing by John Connolly

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When NYPD detective Charlie Parker comes home from a night of binge drinking to find his wife and child murdered and skinned by a sadistic serial killer, his life is turned upside down. Leaving the police force and bottle behind, he takes on some under the table private eye work, but his real mission is to track down the killer. When a lead in the case takes Parker to the swamps of Louisiana, he is accompanied by his lethal friends Angel and Louis and the brilliant criminal psychologist Rachel. While in the bayous, the sadistic murders continue and Parker is also trapped in a gang war between two rival factions who may unwittingly have information about the identity of the killer. Like all books in this excellent series, there is a light touch of the supernatural in this story, with Parker sensing the spirits of his wife and daughter, and being contacted in a dream by one of the murder victims. But don't let that scare away fans of straight ahead crime fiction, as most of the book centers on a frantic chase between Parker and friends, the local police and the FBI to find the killer. This is the opening book in the continuously excellent Charlie Parker series. Elements of extremely graphic violence make this a melding of crime and horror fiction with a hard-boiled veneer of the great private eye stories. Every Dead Thing - amazon.com

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Dexter Gordon - The Complete Columbia Recordings (Sony/Popmarket, 2011)

2012-01-10T15:51:00.005-05:00

Like so many of his other colleagues, the famous saxophonist Dexter Gordon moved to Europe in the 1960’s and 1970’s for greater performing and recording opportunities and less racial strife than he found in the United States. But he longed to return to his native country, and did so in great style, signing to Columbia Records and recording a number of albums in the late 70’s and early ‘80’s. The albums included on this limited edition boxed set include: Homecoming: Live At The Village Vanguard, Sophisticated Giant, Manhattan Symphonie, Live At Carnegie Hall, Gotham City and a compilation disc of bonus material. Gordon was playing as well as he ever had with quicksilver grace on the cooker and a lush romanticism on the ballads. At his best playing live, Gordon had a killer band on the double album Homecoming featuring Woody Shaw on trumpet, Ronnie Matthews on piano, Stafford James on bass and Louis Haynes on drums. The concert from the venerable Carnegie Hall also features special guest saxophonist Johnny Griffin for a couple of exciting mock-tenor battles. Hot on the heels of the Homecoming gigs, Gordon went into the studio with pianist George Cables, bassist Rufus Reid, and drummer Eddie Gladden to record Manhattan Symphonie. The interesting material on this album includes John Coltrane’s “Moment’s Notice,” Donald Byrd’s “Tanya” and an excellent version of the standard “Body and Soul.” The bonus disc tracks together some odds and ends that were included in holiday themed albums and compilations. Each album comes in a cardboard slipcase replica of the original album cover and there are some extra liner essays and a discography. This is a nicely done collection, definitely geared toward the collector market, but if you are a fan of Gordon’s music is is certainly an investment worth considering. Complete Columbia Recordings - Popmarket.

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Links

2012-01-09T14:27:00.002-05:00

Marc Ribot discusses the trials and tribulations about organizing for the Winter JazzFest

In the long run, the way to substantially impact the lives of indie musicians is for the union to move beyond "protection from" and into "power and leverage against" those who profit directly or indirectly from our labor.

Jazz Times cranks out their annotated The Top 50 Releases of 2011.

We compiled our top 40 new releases and top 10 historical/reissue recordings of 2011 using year end lists by our writers. (They were asked to submit ranked lists of 10 new releases and five historical/reissues.) Only CDs and box sets released between Nov. 1, 2010 and Nov. 1, 2011 were eligible.

Their critics list is here.

Destination-Out memorializes Sam Rivers in epic and classy fashion with a fine essay and mp3's.

We were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of the great Sam Rivers. That last name is as right as rain — his talents were so varied, multifarious, they were like streams that fed into the greater ocean of jazz. Best known as a great saxophonist equally adept at the tenor and soprano, he was also a remarkable flutist and pianist, who quietly put his stamp on both instruments.

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Tom Waits - Bad As Me (Anti/Epitaph, 2011)

2012-01-07T14:34:00.003-05:00

Tom Waits is one of the most idiosyncratic of all rock ‘n’ roll musicians, and indeed that genre pigeonhole doesn’t do justice to the depth and and breadth of the music he has created over the years. Like he subtitles one of his previous collections, this album consists of “brawlers,” fast paced and hard hitting songs full of clanging percussion and “I just gargled with battery acid” growling vocals. The best one of these may be the astonishing “Hell Broke Luce,” a harrowing anti-war indictment set to a military cadence with lyrics about soldiers who are just trying to get by while desk bound generals plot their lives and deaths. Other fast paced songs are feature rapid fire cadence of vocals in “Chicago” and the clanking, clattering and shouting “Raised Right Men.” Making a break for a new start in life is a repeating theme in Waits’ lyrics and is hitting the road in search of a better tomorrow is the subject of “Get Lost” which also sports some killing guitar work. Strutting with Keith Richards while name checking Mick Jagger is no mean feat either on “Satisfied.” Any song with the title “Bad as Me” can be as imagined: emotional and desperate lyrics, over snarling guitar and insistent percussion. No one is similar to Waits when it comes to wringing the emotion out of a ballad, and that is particularly true of “Last Leaf” which used a final leaf on an autumn tree as an allegory for all of us who are just hanging on. “Face to the Highway” also deals with his travelling jones, but with a forlorn and haunting lyrical sadness. This is a really fine album, filled with lyrics that tackle love and pathos as well as humor and the eccentric. A born original, there is no one quite like Tom Waits, willing to make his own way, speak truth to power and follow his muse to the end. We are all the better for it. Bad As Me - amazon.com

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Interesting articles

2012-01-05T10:38:00.003-05:00

Ted Panken and Hank S. memorialize Sam Rivers. Destination-Out, too.
Ethan Iverson interviews composer and arranger Jim McNeely.
George Colligan interviews drummer and composer Jack DeJohnette.
The Sun Ra biopic Brother From Another Planet is Streaming.

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The Best of Herbie Hancock (Blue Note, 1990)

2012-01-04T08:49:00.000-05:00

Pianist and composer Herbie Hancock came to Blue Note Records under the tutelage of Donald Byrd, but was quickly snatched up by fellow trumpeter Miles Davis to anchor his second great quintet. But Hancock stayed with Blue Note from 1962-1970 as a solo artist cutting some classic albums as he moved from strictly acoustic jazz toward the jazz-funk he became popular for. This disc is a nice introduction to his Blue Note period (all of the individual albums are still in print, and there are used copies of the complete Blue Note recordings floating around.) Some of Hancock’s most well known compositions are well represented, from “Watermelon Man” the popular song that anchored his first album, Takin’ Off, and my favorite performance “Cantaloupe Island” from the Empyrean Isles LP with an extraordinary piano vamp and rock solid playing from Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. Conventional wisdom states that Maiden Voyage is Hancock’s best LP (although I prefer Empyrean Isles, IMHO) but the title track is included here from that equally classic album is included here and is an excellent example of the inherent mystery that pervades that album. “Riot” was a staple of the Miles Davis band of the period and the atmospheric “Speak Like a Child” is also a well-known original composition. Herbie Hancock went on to have a very successful and wildy varied career that continues today. This is a solid sampler of his early years as a bandleader, and makes for a most pleasant and enjoyable listen. Best of Herbie hancock - amazon.com

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Various Artists - Miles Espanol (Entertainment One Music, 2011)

2012-01-03T13:42:00.002-05:00

Much like the Miles From India album released a few years ago, this tribute album to the great trumpeter and bandleader Miles Davis attempts to place his music in a cultural context. This time using the Davis - Gil Evans collaboration Sketches of Spain as the starting point for the music, a couple of Davis compositions and several originals are placed in the context of cross-cultural exchange. Producer Bob Belden brought together some real heavies, some Davis alumni, too. Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, Ron Carter, Sammy Figueroa, Sonny Fortune, Alex Acuña, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Rabih Abu-Khalil and many more are configured in anything from a duet to a large ensemble to bring the music two light. Sprawling across two compact discs, the music explores the Davis influence on modern jazz through an Iberian lens. Chick Corea is a natural for this project with his Spanish heritage, and his pianistic skills are featured on "Trampolin" and "Tirititran." Middle Eastern elements are woven into the music quite nicely on the opening "Concierto De Aranjuez" featuring Rabih Abou Khalil's dexterous oud playing. The original classical composition was a centerpiece of the Sketeches of Spain LP, so it's a natural starting point for this album, albeit in a radically revised form. "Saeta/Pan Piper" even has a bagpipe echoing the muezzin's call to prayer. Disc two delves into the classic Davis LP Kind of Blue for a meditation on "Flamenco Sketches" and several different drummers and percussionists keep the rhythms shifting and undulating. Overall this album worked quite well, though the two discs could have been edited to one killer album instead of spreading over such terrain. But that is a small quibble, this isn't your normal tribute album, rather something more akin to the refraction of an image through the context of modern day jazz and world music. Miles Espanol - amazon.com

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Books: Beautiful, Naked and Dead by Josh Stallings

2012-01-02T16:53:00.003-05:00

Beautiful, Naked & Dead by Josh Stallings

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Moses Mcguire is at the end of his rope. An ex-marine scarred by a peacekeeping tour of Lebanon and a convict scarred by a prison sentence, he wakes up each day with a gun in his hand, wondering if he can muster up the courage to end the pain once and for all. Moses works as a bouncer at a seedy Los Angeles strip club, mind-numbing work where he is only kept sane by talking to Kelly, the shy waitress who is too bashful to take off her clothes and dance for the lonely, haunted men who patronize the club. One morning Moses receives a strange phone call from Kelly cryptically mumbling about her sister and that things are not all as they seem. When Moses arrives at her apartment, he finds that she has been tortured and murdered. After a brief time as a suspect in the killing, Moses is cleared and sets out to find the elusive sister and answer the question of why this seemingly harmless girl was murdered. Moses has to navigate a witches brew of mafia, cops and feds, before he can rescue the sister and make the final showdown with the killers. This was a well done story, Moses McGuire is a very compelling character, and the action and suspense is rocket fueled throughout. There are a few implausible scenes, but hey, it's pulp fiction, right? Stallings wears his influences on his sleeve: Andrew Vachss, Charlie Huston, Joe R. Lansdale, but since these are some of my favorite storytellers it made the tale all the more enjoyable for me. Definitely recommended for fans of hard-boiled noir fiction that unflinchingly examines the seedier side of the American dream. Beautiful, Naked & Dead - amazon.com

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David Murray Octets - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint and Soul Note (Black Saint/Soul Note, 2011)

2012-01-01T12:08:00.004-05:00

During the lengthy career of saxophone and bass clarinet player David Murray, he has performed in a number of contexts from solo to big band. Perhaps none of his groups had the power and audacity of his octet recordings. This boxed set collects the octet recordings he made for the Italian Black Saint and Soul Note record labels. These records were made from 1980 - 1988 and include the albums Ming, Home, Murray’s Steps, Hope Scope and New Life. Apart from Murray, the albums are filled with a veritable who’s who of progressive jazz talent of the time including Henry Threadgill on alto saxophone and flute, Bobby Bradford and Butch Morris on trumpet and cornet and Steve McCall on drums. Every one of the enclosed albums has commendable music upon it, like the blasting up-tempo little big band jazz of New Life which finds the octet playing with renewed spirit after a few years of sabbatical. Hope Scope has a more elegiac and backward looking tinge to it, with moods and textures out front and Murray showing his often overlooked lyrical side, especially on ballad performances. Murray’s Steps showcases one of his most well known compositions, “Flowers for Albert” written for free -jazz icon Albert Ayler, but also demonstrating how Murray had moved beyond strict free-jazz, combining it with swing, bop, and even touches of rhythm and blues to make a unique statement. “Sweet Lovely” and “Sing Song” also offer superb flute solos from Henry Threadgill. further adding to the depth and texture of the music. Dedicated to his wife, Ming is considered to be one of Murray’s finest LPs and one of the best jazz albums of the 1980’s. This also contains some well known Murray compositions, making the case for him as a composer of note as well as a powerhouse soloist. “Fast Life” and “The Hill” would return later on in his discography as title tracks to albums, and the beauty of the deeply emotional and interwoven “Ming” and plangent soloing on “Dewey’s Circle” are equally memorable. The music on this collection is highly recommended, and represents some of David Murray’s finest recorded output to date. Collected in a box, each album has a cardboard reproduction of the original album cover reduced to CD size, which means that the liner notes are in a microscopic font. New essays, photos and liner notes would have been great, but you hardly notice they are missing once this amazing music begins playing. The Complete Remastered Recordings - amazon.com

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Words about music

2011-12-30T10:32:00.005-05:00

Burning Ambulance #5 Edited by Philip Freeman, BA is a quarterly magazine available as either print or e-book download. Their coverage is very diverse from interviewing straight-ahead jazz trumpeter Jeremy Pelt to the cover story on the great jazz/funk/call-it-anything ensemble Burn Sugar. The eclecticism is part of the fun, they investigate North American Black Metal in depth, then shift into an exposition by Freeman about Cecil Taylor’s recordings and concerts in the pivotal year of 1978, a turning point for the great pianist.

Innerviews: Music Without Borders by Anil Prasad is a book of interviews with musicians. What makes the book so interesting is that Prasad is a very intuitive interviewer, one that is able to go beyond superficial questions and get his subject to open up not only about music, but about life, spirituality and the state of the world. Prasad is particularly interested in “fusion” musicians, not necessarily jazz fusion, although several interview subjects could fall into that broad category. His focus is musicians that look beyond genre or as Duke Ellington would say, beyond category. From prog rock stalwarts like Bill Bruford and Jon Anderson to musicians like the the producer and bassist Bill Laswell and the Israeli/American singer Noa, Prasad is looking for musicians who cross borders, or ignore them entirely. His interviewing style makes even musicians who normally wouldn’t interest you seem compelling.

Point of Departure - Issue 37 of the venerable online music journal was posted in December of 2011 with a number of interesting articles. Publisher Bill Shoemaker’s Page One article about the great Jamaican/British saxophonist Joe Harriottt was what led me to but the Proper Box I wrote about yesterday. Kevin Whitehead updates a presentation he gave that places Anthony Braxton within the jazz tradition, while Brian Morton eulogizes composer and arranger Graham Collier. The issue also contains many reviews of recent releases of recorded music and excerpts from books recently published about music.

Paris Transatlantic The winter issue of this longstanding webzine covers jazz and various avant-garde musics. Reviews of new and reissued recordings are included along with editorials and book reviews.

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The Joe Harriott Story (Proper Records, 2011)

2011-12-29T14:23:00.003-05:00

I first became aware of saxophonist and composer Joe Harriott from a tribute album Ken Vandermark dedicated to him called Straight Lines. Harriott is something of a lesser-known figure in the USA and that is a shame because he was quite a talented and ground breaking musician. Born and raised in Jamaica, Hariott moved to England in the 1950’s (along with the likes of Dizzy Reece, another excellent Jamaican musician.) He first gained rebound as a Charlie Parker disciple and was an excellent bebop player as the first two discs on this collection show. As a featured sideman on alto saxophone in the Tony Kinsey Quartet during 1954-1955. The band played strongly swinging bebop and hard-bop with Harriott and the excellent vibraphonist Bill LeSage soloing on chestnuts like “Cherokee,” “Get Happy,” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).” Disc two also shows him beginning to experiment with a syrupy Bird With Strings like ensemble and cutting a few songs with Ronnie Scott’s Little Big Band. Harriott is most well known for his early experiments with free jazz and that makes up the bulk of disc three. Though a contemporary of Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor and John Coltrane; Harriott developed his own method of playing what he called “abstract” or free jazz. Unlike Coleman, he kept a pianist in his group, and unlike Coltrane he really stressed complex interaction and collective improvisation amongst all band members, particularly on the justly lauded album Free Form which is included in this collection. Finally, disc four covers some more quartet and quintet sessions that Harriott did after a period of scuffling and ill health that followed his poorly received but historically significant free jazz recordings. The music returns to the swinging hard-bop of the first couple of discs and shows Harriot playing with a sharper, tart tone reminiscent of Jackie McLean or Eric Dolphy. Left missing as the final breakthrough of his career, the Indo-Jazz fusion albums he co-led with John Mayer which were some of the first albums to wed Eastern classical music to Western jazz and were pioneering in their time. Still, this is a fine retrospective of an unjustly ignored figure in modern jazz. Joe Harriott Story - amazon.com

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Books: Two-Way Split by Allan Guthrie

2011-12-28T11:24:00.002-05:00

Two-Way Split by Allan Guthrie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pearce is just out of prison after doing a ten year stint for murdering the drug dealer responsible for the heroin overdose of his sister. Moving in with his mother and trying to stay on the straight and narrow, he meets a woman, falls in love and borrows money from the local mob boss to buy her a huge wedding ring. She immediately dumps him, taking the ring and leaving him a big debt to the boss that he must pay by becoming an enforcer and collector. Meanwhile a most unusual gang prepares for a post office robbery: a sadistic woman, her schizophrenic former husband and the group's ringleader steal a significant amount of money. But in the process, the schizophrenic robber kills Pearce's mother, a clerk at the post office. Now things get really wild: Pearce and a bumbling private investigator are after the thieves, the PI for the money and Pearce for revenge. The schizophrenic robber begins flipping between two different personalities, neither is sure that they are responsible for. They all meet for a climatic showdown with the money and revenge at stake. This was a really well done crime novel, with Guthrie creating compelling characters and setting them in motion on a wild ride. He writes about the mentally ill character quite thoughtfully, with each persona denying they committed crimes and stole money, it adds another dimension to a fascinating story. Two-Way Split - amazon.com

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Sam Rivers

2011-12-27T14:00:00.006-05:00

Sam Rivers was one of my favorite musicians since I discovered his work in the 1990's. I was sad to see Peter Hum report of his passing Monday in Florida at the age of 88. Rivers' work appeale to me greatly, he had the energy and drive of the freest jazz, while at the same time the compositional acuity to give his music structure and keep it from dissolving into mayhem. The first records of his I heard of his were Colours with the Winds of Manhattan ensemble and his two-volume series of duets with the bassist Dave Holland. Both of these I found on vinyl in my public library of the time and they showed two different sides of a multi-talented artist. Colours placed him on a large ensemble, heavy on reeds allowing him to play his complex compositions arranged for him to sway and fly through at will. The duet records, Sam Rivers & Dave Holland Vol. 1 & 2 (still OOP as far as I know) allowed him to cycle through all of his instruments: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, piano and flute in a very free and conversational atmosphere. Scrounging the used bins at local record stores, I was able to find a record from his short tenure at Impulse records called Streams. This is an extraordinary stream of consciousness trio album recorded live at a jazz festival, mind-blowing in terms of intensity and musical ideas. Indeed, some wag at the record store had affixed a sticker to the album that said TRIP ON THIS. Eventually some of this music would return during the Impulse reissue period of the 1990's as the excellent Trio Live compact disc, but his extraordinary big band LP of the period, Crystals, and other music of the period remain more or less in limbo. Hopefully Mosaic can make a Complete Sam Rivers on Impulse set, because it would be revelatory. I was hooked at this time, but it was also during a break in his recording career, and the re-issue industry didn't catch up with what he had done in the past until Mosaic's splendid Complete Sam Rivers Blue Note collection, putting his Blue Note albums as a leader: Contrasts, Inventions and Dimensions, Fuscia Swing Song and Coutours on a three disc set with excellent liner notes. These albums (eventually available separately from Blue Note after the Mosaic boxed set went OOP) are really the Rosetta Stone for understanding Rivers' music from a fan's perspective. He had fully assimilated bebop and had listened carefully as the free-jazz revolution of musicians like Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler and Cecil Taylor spun around him. He masterfully combined these two divergent paths of music and demonstrated along with fellow forward-looking Blue Note artists like Bobby Hutcherson, Andrew Hill and Jackie McLean that jazz was a music of endless possibility. Also during the period of these recordings (the mid 1960's) he made some notable sideman appearances with the likes of Andrew Hill, Bobby Hutcherson and Miles Davis. Along with being one of the most important pioneers of the "Loft Scene" of DIY musical venues in the 1970's with his famous Studio Rivbea, Rivers appeared often as a sideman, again weaving the threads of free and bop, playing with both Cecil Taylor and Dizzy Gillespie. In the 1990's came a radical change, as he moved to Orlando, Florida and discovered a thriving musical community that allowed him to realize his big band ambitions in the Riv-Bea orchestra, which was a fixture and very well documented on this year's Mosaic Select, which takes three discs of the Florida based unit of the band from the late 1990's and shows them to be an explosive and dynamic unit. He received some of the most recognition of his career by recording two albums of an all-star version of the orchestra for RCA. Inspiration and Culmination were both ecstatically received with rave reviews and even Grammy nominations. Rolling undaunted into his eighties, Rivers continued to perform with the orchestra in addition to recording free-ish trio records that showed his skilled undiminished. The albums Celebration, Purple Violets, Violet Violets, along with the self-issued Firestorm and Aurora LP's showed a musician still at the hight of his protean powers who remained that way to the end: in inspiration to both musicians and fans alike who leaves a legacy of unlimited courage, dignity and grace. He will be sorely missed.

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The Black Keys - El Camino (Nonesuch, 2011)

2011-12-26T22:14:00.004-05:00

The venerable garage rock band from Akron, Ohio, The Black Keys finally broke through last year, with a top five album and a brace of Grammy Awards. That album was much different than the work that they had made before and I wondered whether this marked a true sea change for the band and their music. Turns out not to be the case. Scaling back from last years sprawling epic, Brothers, to a taught hard hitting rock 'n' roll album clocking with eleven concise songs in thirty-nine minutes. Slashing guitar riffs and booming percussion return, with some other instruments filling out the spaces, but the focus clearly returns to the two band leaders, guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. Tracks like "Lonely Boy" and "Gold on the Ceiling" show a band with a chip on its shoulder and something to prove, after the phony glitz of the Grammy awards and the whirlwind blast through the media machine which will chew bands up and spit them out. The Black Keys remain undaunted, with their heads held high, making the tough gritty music that got them such a strong fan base to begin with. El Camino - amazon.com

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Something Else by The Kinks {Deluxe Edition} (Pye, 1967; Sanctuary, 2011)

2011-12-23T10:20:00.003-05:00

In 1967, amidst the Summer of Love and psychedelia, The Kinks bravely bucked the trend by releasing a beautiful album of thoughtful and immaculately crafted pop music. Their reward for this extraordinary album was almost complete apathy both in England and the United States (where they were banned anyway due to draconian union regulations.) Over time, the album was recognized as one of The Kinks finest, and this deluxe re-issue includes both the mono and stereo mixes of the album as well as period singles and BBC Sessions. It’s quite a well done package, the remastered music sounds excellent with the band exploring everything from a Cockney near sea-shanty “Hairy Rag” to the faux music hall strut “Tin Soldier Man.” Bookending the original album were two of the band’s finest songs, the rocking and propulsive “David Watts,” and the almost unbelievably beautiful ballad “Waterloo Sunset” whos elegiac and nostalgic glow makes it one of the bast songs in pop music history, IMHO. There really isn’t a bad song on the album, but songs about the lives of regular folks of London just didn’t register with music fans looking for more exploratory music, more’s the pity. In addition to a number of alternate takes of album tracks, there is a period session from the BBC with previously unissued versions of Kinks classic singles like “Sunny Afternoon” and “Autumn Almanac.” The short essay of the liner notes has a few typos, but otherwise tells the story of the album in a concise manner. What’s really interesting is the photos of the period of the band (check out those suits!) different singles and other ephemera. This version is a must for hard-core fans of the band, but the curious shouldn’t pass up the original album which is a faultless masterpiece. Something Else by The Kinks (Deluxe Edition) - amazon.com

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Weasel Walter - Ominous Telepathic Mayhem (ugExplode, 2011)

2011-12-22T14:36:00.004-05:00

Drummer Weasel Walter brews up a potent free-jazz mixture with rock-ish overtones in a series of duet performances in the company of trumpeter Peter Evans, guitarist Mary Halvorson, alto saxophonist Darius Jones and clarinetist/guitarist Alex Ward. The music is quite heady and powerful, beginning with "Showering With Beer" and "Grannytram" both featuring Walter and Evans. The former begins with a frenetic and powerful open from the two musicians, before snarling and angry tones move into the primal and raw post-rock that Walter often champions on his blog. “Grannytram” has Evans spreading out long smears of trumpet over boiling percussion developing into the sound and fury one might expect from the soundtrack from an apocalyptic video game, before returning to long foghorn trumpet to exit. The next few tracks feature the guitarist Mary Halvorson, with “Free Sometimes Rules” beginning with a mysterious guitar opening before the drums build in and the musicians develop a wall of noise. A probing and open section develops, before being pinched off by rolling drums and guitar. “Let’s Get ‘em” develops a power duo concept with powerful and free avant jazz/noise reaching for the cosmos. As good as these tracks were they are eclipsed with the addition of alto saxophonist Darius Jones who develops a simpatico pairing with the drummer. Wild and punishing saxophone and drums build in on “Clarity,” making for an excellent full-throated improvisation. Sax and drums jab short phrases of music like boxers in a ring. The come in thrashing again on “Oracle” really developing a jazz groove, albeit a free and loud one, wailing at an amazing level. These pairings of musicians worked really well, they were on a high-wire of improvisation throughout, but revelled in the freedom and lack of barriers the music possessed. Ominous Telepathic Mayhem - amazon.com

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Best of 2011, Part III: Top ten new releases for 2011

2011-12-21T13:25:00.012-05:00

OK, I know I already did a post on this already, responding to Francis Davis' request for his poll. I screwed that up royally, putting some musicians twice and others not at all. So let me try this again...

10. Greg Ward's Phonic Juggernaut (Thirsty Ear) Hard hitting trio for sax, bass and drums. This is tough, gritty and strong music that deserves an audience; it's potent stuff.
9. Rudresh Mahanthappa - Samdhi (ACT) Samdhi looks forward to new vistas in Mathanhappa's all-encompassing musical vision. Combining multi-cultural music and looking at jazz in a fresh direction, he has created a unique synergy of music that is fresh and exciting.
8. Darius Jones & Matthew Shipp - Cosmic Lieder (AUM Fidelity) This was a masterful performance from the two musicians - one an established master himself, and another on his way to becoming one. Jones and Shipp's Cosmic Lieder is the aural equivalent to a dark and stormy night. Short, stark ideas collide like in a particle accelerator, and the brief nature of the performances just adds to their pointedness.
7. David S. Ware - Planetary Unknown (AUM Fidelity) You can chart Ware's lineage in the depth and strength of the music, from a young devotee of Sonny Rollins and Albert Ayler, to a loft scene veteran developing his own unique sound to an esteemed elder statesman and master improviser and instrumentalist, Davis S. Ware is one of a kind and every note is a treasure.
6. BB & C - The Veil (Cryptogramophone) BB and C is a cooperative group consisting of alto saxophonist Tim Berne, drummer Jim Black and guitarist Nels Cline. This was a very exciting and continuously engaging album to listen to, moving between avant-garde squalls of noise and abstract passages of sound sculpture.
5. Matt Lavelle - Goodbye New York, Hello World (Musicnow) This album was very well planned out and executed, with both the duo and full band tracks succeeding well. Fans of progressive jazz are urged to check this out soon.
4. Steve Reid, Kieran Hebden and Mats Gustafsson - Live at the South Bank (Smalltown Superjazz, 2011) Shifting from dark and brooding textures to exciting, heavy and powerful features, the double album unfolds in a continuous suite waxing and waning like the unstoppable tide. This unique and fascinating performance is highly recommended for progressive jazz and rock fans.
3. Matthew Shipp - Art of the Improviser (Thirsty Ear) The power of the piece comes from the juxtaposition of heavy with light, much like the recent work of Ahmad Jamal. This was an excellent set that is highly recommended to anyone looking for the state of the art in jazz piano.
2. World Saxophone Quartet – Yes We Can (Jazzwerkstatt) The musicians play with great authority throughout this very exciting album, showing that regardless of the passing of time and the changing of lineups, the WSQ remains a powerful force in jazz.
1. Mostly Other People Do the Killing - The Coimbra Concert (Clean Feed) What makes the band so much fun to follow is the impish delight they take in making music, from the delightful spoof covers to wryly quoting famous jazz songs amidst their original compositions. But make no mistake, their music is taken seriously and played with a very high degree of competence.

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William Hooker Trio - Yearn for Certainty (Engine Records, 2010)

2011-12-20T10:28:00.004-05:00

Recorded at the Roulette Club in New York City during 2007, this is a continuously improvised performance led by drummer and poet William Hooker, accompanied by Sabir Mateen on saxophone, flute and clarinet and David Soldier on mandolin, banjo and violin. “Integrated Beam - Leroy” and “Century’s Soles” speak truth to power with a powerful spoken word recitation with string accompaniment that develops into an instrumental gateway. The music itself lifts off with the extraordinary free jazz blowout “Commonplace Travel.” Wildly swirling collective improvisation, with no holds barred, this is the trio at the peak of the vortex. “Magistrait” builds slowly with shimmering cymbals and violin drone setting up long tones of saxophone. Hooker develops his own solo, with a light touch, moving the music from a spare and lonely feel to a faster pace, gradually ramping feverishly into free territory. Hooker wills the band forward with passionate drums and vocal encouragement. The finale, “Yearn for Certainty” segues directly from the previous improvisation, led by overdriven guitar and drums. Soldier is featured here, moving through his instruments with a variety of sounds and textures. Thrashing drums and peaking saxophone make for a wildly exciting improvisation before rolling back to droning guitar and probing saxophone. Bashing drumbeats change the theme of the music, contrasting thunderous percussion against silence. Mateen switches to flute for a mysterious interlude, while Hooker develops another spoken incantation accompanied by flute and guitar. Loud drumming and saxophones then return to set up the big finale. The three musicians form a tightly coherent unit that allows for a great deal of collective expression and a colorful palette of sounds. Yearn for Certainty - amazon.com

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Best of 2011, Part II: Historical Releases

2011-12-19T00:02:00.001-05:00

Year after year, I think that surely every note must have been wrung from the musical archives and that there are fewer and fewer ways to re-package the old and familiar. And every year I am proved wrong... Here's a look at what I think were the best historical releases of 2011:

10. Howlin' Wolf - Smokestack Lightning / Complete Chess Masters (1951 to 1960) (Hip-O Select) Chester Burnett, aka Howlin’ Wolf was one of the most primordial and influential figures on the blues scene from the 1950’s to the 1970’s. His protean voice and harmonica, and rudimentary guitar were a force of nature. This four disc set collects his 45 rpm releases for the legendary Chess label.
9. Patti Smith - Outside Society (Sony Legacy) As much as a one disc compilation can capture the essence of an artist as complicated as Patti Smith, this one does and succeeds quite well. A prime introduction to neophytes coming to her music and a potent reminder of her power to longtime fans.
8. Albert Ayler - Love Cry/The Last Album (Impulse!) It’s a haunting reminder of the power of his music. The Impulse! Recordings of Albert Ayler are ripe for re-appraisal. The Greenwich Village recordings at the beginning of his tenure with the label are justly praised, but all of his albums for the label show a man who was always on a quest: for new sounds, new meaning and new ways of connecting.
7. William Hooker and Thomas Chapin - Crossing Points (NoBusiness) Hooker and Chapin are a match made in free-jazz heaven and frequently encourage each other during this performance with shouts of joy. Cathartic beauty for the heart and soul at its finest and an absolute must for those who explore the edges of jazz and improvisation.
6. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew Live (Columbia) Evolving faster and faster, the band develops a wilder and much looser feel, playing the music as a continuous suite with Davis giving subtle nods for change in themes and tempos. The music is often daringly intense and they are rewarded with rapturous applause from the huge crowd.
5. Julius Hemphill - Dogon A.D. (International Phonograph) It is great to see this important album, one of the finest jazz albums of the 1970's, back in print again. Anyone interested in adventurous and exciting jazz music will be thrilled. This is truly a model re-release, with great care taken to the music and the presentation and it is a first rate and classy job all around.
4. John Coltrane - The Impulse! Albums Volume 4 (Hip-O Select) Taking late period Coltrane LP’s restoring them to their original LP format, stripping alternate takes, extra liner material and the like, while returning the music to its originally released format, with the artwork and notes as appeared during their first release in 1965-1968. Although much of the music on these recordings is of an experimental nature, moments of sheer beauty and jaw-dropping power abound.
3. Sam Rivers and the Rivbea Orchestra - Trilogy (Mosaic Select) Comprehensive three disc collection of original compositions and arrangements through the specialty label Mosaic Records. Rivers’ large band writing is thoroughly modern and quite frequently explosive with intricate orchestral arrangements making way for powerful instrumental solos.
2. Robert Johnson - The Centennial Collection (Sony) Using the hundredth anniversary of his birth as an excuse for a major sonic upgrade of the Johnson catalog, it casts fresh light on the man, the legend, and most importantly, the music. The re-mastering of the music is wonderful, sounding warm and natural, but still of its time.
1. Miles Davis Quintet - Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1 (Columbia/Legacy) This is a really extraordinary package by one of the finest working bands jazz has ever produced. The music developed on this tour and the bands studio recordings continues to resonate and provide inspiration today.

P.S. The "one that got away" for me was the Henry Threadgill and Air compilation on Mosaic. I've heard a lot of the music contained within and it is superb, but I just couldn't get my finances together in time...

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Books: Joe R. Lansdale; Tom Piccrilli

2011-12-18T13:20:00.003-05:00

Hyenas by Joe R. Lansdale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Joe R. Lansdale's "Hap and Leonard" series is one of the finest in contemporary crime fiction, with equal parts bawdy humor and sudden violence propelling the stories along. Set in east Texas, Hap, a white, straight former hippie and Leonard, a black, gay military veteran make an unlikely buddy combo, but as this series has borne out, opposites attract and these characters have made for some wonderful stories. In this novella, Leonard is involved in a bar fight which he wins brutally and easily. In the aftermath, one of the assailants is so impressed that he hires Leonard with Hap in tow to rescue his brother from an armed gang he has taken up with. After getting the brother out, things go pear shaped and Hap's girlfriend is taken hostage. After Hap and Leonard abort a bank robbery the gang had planned, they head for the final violent showdown. This novella has all the hallmarks of the classic Hap & Leonard stories, the bravado, the salacious humor and of course the violence as our knights in tarnished armor promise the kill the kidnappers and "shit on their graves." Also included is a poignant Hap solo story from when he was growing up. A story of bullying gone wrong, this makes for a thoughtful object lesson in the nature of cruelty.

Pentacle - A Self Collection by Tom Piccirilli

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An un-named sorcerer and his demonic companion "Self" travel modern America hobo-style, fighting evil both human and supernatural in this collection of linked short stories. Like most of Piccrilli's great characters, the sorcerer carries a lot of baggage: the death of his beloved, and his parents, and his knowledge of the supernatural and his spell-casting power that sets him apart from the rest of society. His "familiar" Self is a great character too, part faithful companion, part rival, the two complement each other like the most unusual crime-fighting duo you have ever encountered. Their adventures include preserving the lives of children in a Hopi village after a demonic invasion and battling modern day sadistic witch hunters that are killing and torturing in the name of the divine. The stories are harrowing, haunting works of horror, but are often punctuated by Piccrilli's trademark wry humor. Fans of modern dark fantasy like American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and the Charlie Parker series of John Connolly will find a lot to enjoy here.

All You Despise by Tom Piccirilli

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A sibling rivalry of the highest order drives this stark and depressing tale of murder and deceit. Two brothers: one wealthy with all the trappings of success - the house, the car, the wife/kids, etc. is throwing it all away with booze, drugs and sexual liaisons. The other brother, haunted by the early death of his beloved wife lives an honest existence in a trailer park on the outskirts of town. When he sees evidence that his wealthy brother had killed a man during one of his alcohol and drug induced blackouts, he begins his own investigation into his brother's dark world and develops a shocking retaliation. This is about as grim as Tom Piccrilli can get, a novella filled with loss, mourning and tragedy. The brothers family ties and shared baggage ties them together at the hip, but their differences with be exploited at a shattering conclusion. Despite the depressing nature of this novella, it remains compelling as the dynamic between the brother and their crimes drives the narrative forward. Hatred, passion, seething rage and un-requited love fuel this all to possible story.

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Tony Malaby - Novela - arr. by Kris Davis (Clean Feed, 2011)

2011-12-17T13:58:00.003-05:00

Looking both forward and backward, saxophonist and composer Tony Malaby revisits some of his earlier compositions in a new setting, a nonet arranged by up and coming pianist and arranger Kris Davis. The larger band allows for a much wider palette of colors, and Davis uses them very well from tuba and bass clarinet at the low end to soprano saxophone at the high end. This cornucopia of shading and texture brings a new level of detail to the compositions, and there is a palpable sense of discovery in the musicians playing. Besides Malaby and Davis, the band consists of Andrew Hadro on baritone saxophone, Ben Gerstein on trombone, Dan Peck on tuba, Joachim Badenhorst on bass clarinet, John Hollenbeck on drums, Michael Attias on alto saxophone and Ralph Alessi on trumpet. Highlights are the music are many but the leadoff track “Floating Head” (one of my favorites from the Tamarindo LP) begins with ominous low-sounding horns. Developing into a theme filled with musical color, strong full band make way for a ripe saxophone solo accompanied by bright sounding piano. Soprano saxophone, and a strong rhythm section juxtapose low tones against strong trumpet. “Floral and Herbaceous” has a slower and question feel, looking for musical answers amongst the silence. Building a raw, guttural saxophone feature and playing if off against percussion and other horns gives the music great texture and context. A slower movement builds to an intense section that leads to an unsettling conclusion. Saxophone and percussion flutter at the beginning of “Warblepeck” contrasted by a cartoon-ish percussion or electronics (hard to tell which.) The horns and reeds develop a near march like feel that is worldly, colorful and a lot of fun. Slow and spacious, “Mother’s Love” is the ballad of the set with horns and saxes set afloat in spacetime. Haunted, rolling bass clarinet and bells keep the music subtle. This was a very interesting work, allowing the listener to not only hear the talents of this excellent group of musicians, but learn about Malaby as a composer and especially Davis as an arranger of considerable talent. Hopefully someday soon she will get a grant to allow her to develop a big band project all her own. Novela - arr. by Kris Davis - amazon.com

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Best of 2011, Part 1: Books

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

10. Feast Day of Fools by James Lee Burke - Burke makes beautiful observations about the folly and stupidity of warfare, and the fallible nature of human beings in this excellent story.
9. Wyatt by Garry Discher - Like Richard Stark's great American anti-hero, Parker, Wyatt is a cold and calculating thief, looking for ways to ply his trade in an increasingly digital world.
8. The Sentry by Robert Crais - Crais keeps the action moving briskly and the complex storyline is logical and compelling. This longstanding series continues to produce interesting stories, flipping the perspective between Pike and Cole keeps things fresh and the Southern California setting is always alluring.
7. Devil Red Joe R. Lansdale - In this story, Hap and Leonard are helping a former cop friend of theirs who has recently started a detective agency. When a series of murders is committed that appears to be attributed to a vampire cult, Hap and Leonard investigate and stumble into much more than they bargain for.
6. Headstone by Ken Bruen - This was a fantastic novel in one of the best series going in contemporary crime fiction. Jack Taylor is such a compelling character, that whatever happens, you can't stop rooting for him and be simultaneously repulsed and fascinated by his deeds.
5. Rule 34 by Charles Stross - Charles Stross, one of the premier science fiction authors in the genre ties all of these threads and many more involving rouge artificial intelligence, international criminal syndicates, smuggling, human greed, culpability, and the unceasing march of technological progress.
4. The Gentlemen's Hour by Don Winslow - This is another excellent Winslow adventure, a sequel to The Dawn Patrol (although reading that book first is not necessary.) The protagonist is a very appealing character, someone we really we really want to root for to win against all odds.
3. You'd Better Watch Out by Tom Piccrilli - When a nameless young man witnesses his mother being murdered on Christmas Day by his crooked cop father, he vows one day to have revenge.
2. The Killer Is Dying by James Sallis - While James Sallis ostensibly writes crime novels, the crime itself becomes almost incidental to the haunted and melancholy lives of the characters he composes.
1. Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran - Claire is about as far from Nancy Drew and Stephanie Plum as you can get, but if you are looking for a gritty and well written crime novel, this is one of the year's finest.

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Bryan and the Haggards - Still Alive and Kicking Down the Walls (Hot Cup, 2011)

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Instrumental jazz /country/western swing bands are pretty rare, and this second album Bryan and the Haggards the further the niche they are trying to carve. Considering the band has some of the same musicians from the wonderful and irreverent label, Hot Cup you can be assured that the music will be interesting. Consisting of Bryan Murray on tenor saxophone, Jon lrabagon on alto saxophone, Jon Lundbom on guitar, Moppa Elliott on bass and Danny Flscher on drums, the band develops a playful and exciting mashup of divergent genres. Byran and the Haggards make a valiant attempt at fusing country music, western swing and jazz in a busman's holiday for the Hot Cup Label crew. What results is a fun if not necessarily ground breaking mix of fun twangy rave ups recalling he days of sawdust floor saloons juxtaposed by cry-in-your-beer ballads. "Ramblin' Fever" opens with some shit-kickin' electric guitar and melodic upbeat saxophones bringing the honky-tonk fun with a dash of R&B, and a solid backbeat throughout. A chugging rhythm keeps "Seeing Eye Dog" moving with a western swing feel as a honking tenor saxophone probes and swirls. The saxes take turn honkin', bleatin' and walking the bar, before shards of guitar take over. "Twinkle Twinkle Luck Star" has strong guitar and saxophone with a midtempo yearning feel. Lundbom launches to a guitar solo with a slight but of raunchiness added in, before one of the saxophonists barrels in like a loud patron swinging into a western saloon. "Sing a Sad Song" slows things back down to a ballad tempo with melodic spare guitar adding a short solo. "Turnin' Off a Memory" has spoken introduction and a definite down on his luck feel exploratory saxophone squeaks over a mournful backbeat with guitar strums. The standard "San Antonio Rose" is the real odd-ball of the group, with some-honk-tonk western swing and the guitar swinging happily then a bowed bass solo with some vocalizing. Some of novelty has started to wear off from the group, but the album still provides quite a bit of enjoyment, and the musicians sound like they're having a ball. Still Alive and Kicking Down the Walls - Amazon.com

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Nils Petter Molvaer - Baboon Moon (Thirsty Ear, 2011)

2011-12-14T06:00:00.009-05:00

Trumpeter and composer Nils Petter Molvaer made a name for himself in the late 1990's combining improvisatory jazz with contemporary electronic music. After the global success of his Khmer LP, Molvaer traveled the world both as a leader and a sideman, now securing another album for the adventurous Thirsty Ear label. This album combines his two diverse streams of music, jazz and electronics and builds them into an atmospheric combination. "Mercury Heart" opens the album sounding dark and mysterious like a mystic rite reverberating against the walls of a secret rock cavern. haunting and elegiac soundscapes are the centerpiece of "A Small Realm" and "Blue Fandango" with have spacey textures, reminiscent of the Miles Davis classic In a Silent Way or his epic track "They Loved Him Madly" but adding a spooky and elegiac feeling to the music, especially the latter which sounds like something related to a haunted house. One of the highlights of the album, "Recoil," goes against the grain with throbbing bass and drums laying the foundation for pungent blasts of fast trumpet with a prog-rock, jazz fusion sensibility. "Sleep With the Echoes" develops a sparse opening that guitar and drums build in an ominous fashion. Electric guitar and percussion keep the heat on, snarling and taking charge. "Coded" slows the pace back down evoking images of large icebergs floating languorously through an icy sea over a slow almost funeral beat. The title composition "Baboon Moon" concludes the album with a gently and lovely trumpet tone. Sounding like a night-hushed Scandinavian mystery, awed under the great wash of stars, there is a synth arrangement with light trumpet and clanks of percussion. The pace pick up with strong tribal drumming and sampled female voices with urgent guitar and drums developing contrasting motifs of fire and ice. Baboon Moon - amazon.com

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Full Blast and Friends - Sketches and Ballads (Trost Records, 2011)

2011-12-13T05:41:00.000-05:00

Full Blast is a potent free jazz aggregation featuring Peter Brotzman on tenor saxophone and tarogato, Ken Vandermark on baritone saxophone and clarinet, Thomas Heberer on trumpet, Marino Pliakas on electric bass, Dirk Rothbrust on percussion and timpani, and Michael Wertmuller on drums. Nice friends to have! This concert was recorded live at Donaueschinger Musiktage, 2010. The music is played in one continuous performance, with dymamic shifts of music forging full out blasting sound and ebbing to moments of near-lyrical telepathy (the aforementioned sketches apparently) Ken Vandermark builds rapid swirling clarinet over bubbling bass and drums in a nice duet feature. Spare brass and bass build around bounding timpani with the percussion developing a nervous, urgent feel. Heberer is rumbling, probing and kneading the scilence featuring his spare unaccompanied trumpet blazing trails across the skies. Pinched tarogato rampages back in with strong drumming moving into overpowering force, then throttling back to a near ballad tenor feature. Brotzmann's tenor saxophone gains very harsh raw strength and subtle backbeat supports. The full group storms back out into full band confligration for a final blast off into the cosmos. Definitely a bracing jolt for torrid improvisation with some surprisingly gentle and melodic touches. Full Blast - Sketches and Ballads

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Tim Ries Quintet - Live at Smalls (Smalls Live, 2011)

2011-12-12T10:56:00.003-05:00

Tim Ries is most well known for playing saxophone with the Rolling Stones, but as this live set from the New York City jazz club Smalls shows, he’s an accomplished jazz musician as well. On this album he plays soprano and saxophone joined by Chris Potter on tenor saxophone, Kalman Olah on piano and Billy Drummond on drums. “Last Kabbalist of Lisbon” opens with a bass solo, with the band slowly building in and ramping up the pace. Ries builds a hot soprano solo building well under the firm push of drums and bass. Potter sweeps in on tenor saxophone, developing a powerful lusty solo. Piano and bass take solo turns before the full band returns for the conclusion. “Summer To Remember” has a swinging medium-up tempo, developing strong, tough mainstream jazz over tenor saxophone and excellent drumming. After a piano, bass and drums interlude, saxophone solo number two builds hard really going for it in a hard-swinging yet well controlled manner. After a solid bass solo, the band return to take things out. A shorter ballad interlude breaks up the cookers with “Nice View” featuring a Ben Webster type brawny heart-on-sleeve tenor saxophone solo. They move into the highlight of the evening, a twenty-five minute blow-out of “Death and the Maiden” beginning with a mellow start and building deeply over saxophone and swinging rhythm. Rolling hard, the uptempo tenor saxophone engages with bass and drums with Ries’ soprano pokes and probes at the edges. The group dynamically shifts between medium tempo sections anchored by the piano, bass and drum team while heating up with the horns enter, keeping the music interesting over its epic length. There is a short coda/encore feature for Kalman Olah on piano, playing “Prelude to Bach Cello Suite” unaccompanied to wrap things up. Live at Smalls - amazon.com

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Crate Diggin' Box Me Up Part 2

2011-12-11T11:57:00.001-05:00

Jumped the gun with the last post, that's what surreptitiously blogging at work will do for you. These are a couple of other boxes that I have been working my way through over the past couple of months.

Charlie Parker - Bird: Complete Charlie Parker on Verve (Verve, 1988) I used to borrow parts of this box in high school, that's how old it is. How my old Library got enough money to buy this monster new is another mystery. In my case, I got really lucky, finding the discs, though without box or liner booklet for under $20. But the music is the most important thing, and there is a ton of it here. Parker recorded in many different settings for Norman Granz's label, everything from fronting schmaltzy string sections (my least favorite) to big band sessions, "south of the border" Latin bands, familiar bebop quartet performances, and Jazz at the Philharmonic live blowouts. Parker still had quite of fire left in his playing, but it stretched out over the course of ten CDs. While the alternates and false starts can be a little disconcerting, the overall arc of the music is fascinating, and definitely worth consideration for bebop aficionados. Bird: Complete Charlie Parker on Verve - amazon.com

Cecil Taylor - The Complete Remastered Recordings (Black Saint/Soul Note, 2011) The great Italian jazz record labels Black Saint and Soul Note have been re-issuing some of their most well known musicians (I'm coveting the David Murray set, but torn about re-buying music I already own.) On this set, included are the very nice solo recital Olu Iwa, with its mix of lengthy explorations, and short bursts of creativity. Winged Serpent finds Taylor in full large band mode, with torrid big band passages, with a mix of American and European musicians. Even more impressive are the two discs that make up Taylor's historic meeting with drummer Max Roach. Both are fearless in this improvised duet, neither intimidated by the fearsome reputation of the other, but rather meeting on common ground to develop music in the moment. Finally Olu Iwa allows Taylor's small bands Unit and Quartet to range free and furiously over lengthy slabs of intensely beautiful music. The Complete Remastered Recordings - amazon.com

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Crate diggin: box me up

2011-12-10T15:55:00.005-05:00

I've been slowly working thru several boxed sets that I have found new or more likely scrounged out of the used bin at places like Vintage Vinyl or The Princeton Record Exchange.

Charley Patton - Complete Recordings 1929-34 (JSP, 2002) I am a big blues fan although I don't post as often about that genre of music as I should. Patton was a true innovator for his time, one of the first true delta bluesmen to be recorded (by Paramount in Grafton, Wisconsin of all places.) Patton is an extraordinarily powerful presence, even coming through the hail of surface noise from the old 78 rpm records from which these performances were transferred. His voice was gravelly, deep and epic while his slashing guitar and bottleneck slide kept the beat as he played gin-joints, barbecues and back alley shacks. His most powerful work and much more is included here, classics like "Pony Blues," the topical "High Water Everwhere" about the great Mississippi flood of 1927. Also included are very important performances from Patton's contemporaries like Son House, who's epochal "Preachin' the Blues" and "My Black Mama" are included. This is a five compact disc set, which I think might have been a bit much for me, but for the used price of $9.99 it was a good deal and a fine primer of the delta blues during their formative years. Charley Patton Complete Recordings 1929-34 - amazon.com

Books: Tom Piccirilli

2011-12-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Thrust by Tom Piccirilli

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Chase and his partner are well known poets and performance artists in New York City. But part of what drives their work is what haunts them, as they are both clinical schizophrenics, subject to delusion and paranoia, but which also infuses their work with edgy passion. They met at a psychiatric facility that Chase was sentenced to after being party to the hit and run death of a young girl while intoxicated and hallucinating. The girl's father also goes away to prison, because he had kidnapped the girl and severely beaten the mother. He vows to kill Chase upon his release from prison. The story follows Chase with flashbacks to his time in the sadistic mental health facility, his affair with a nurse who may or may not be a figment of his imagination and his development in the precarious crucible of the New York arts scene. The story picks up speed and edginess until Chase and the man who vowed to kill him meet for the final time, literally in a dark alley. This was a fascinating story, given the illness of the protagonist the reader is always kept on edge about what is true or illusion, real or false hope. Piccrilli writes about mental illness with a great deal of compassion and dignity, completely avoiding the tropes and cliches that could make the story stumble. A fast paced crime story, with tinges of haunting loss and madness, this is a truly fine achievement.

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Saxophones: Greg Ward, David Murray

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Greg Ward's Phonic Juggernaut (Thirsty Ear, 2011) Fresh as paint modern jazz with Greg Ward on alto saxophone, Joe Sanders on bass and Damion Reid on drums, the musicians reveling in the open space the the powerful dynamism that the saxophone trio format can offer. Coming on like a hypersonic update of the great Sonny Rollins trios of the 1950's and Kenny Garrett trios of the 1990's, the music is fast and furious and at times infused with a rock or fusion energy despite being straight up acoustic jazz. The opening track "Above Ground" sets the pace with a no holds barred rhythmic assault, that remains impressively controlled regardless of the speed. That they are able to keep the pace and stamina up for long performances is impressive, and even better is that these tunes like the eleven-minute "Velvet Lounge Shut-In" never flag in their ideas, as the improvisatory volley of ideas continues unabated. This is tough, gritty and strong music that deserves an audience; it's potent stuff. Greg Ward's Phonic Juggernaut - amazon.com

David Murray Cuban Ensemble Plays Nat King Cole en Espanol (Emarcy, 2011) Saxophonist and bass clarinetist David Murray has become increasingly interested in investigating the music of Caribbean cultures, particularly Cuba during recent years. This new album makes an interesting conceit, taking the music of pianist and crooner Nat King Cole, and melding it with a Cuban groove. Te result is something of a mixed bag. Murray takes a step back, rarely bleating the high squeals of saxophone that have become his trademark since breaking into the loft scene in the 1970's. The percussion and feel of the Cuban musicians is excellent, lending an exotic, yet familiar groove to the proceedings like a lilting island breeze. On thing that tends to hold things back a little bit is that string arrangements are added to many of the performances and that combined with a couple of slippery, slinky vocals sometimes give the music a retro lounge groove. Murray actually plays quite well throughout this album, the arrangements keep his occasional self-aggrandizing moments in check, but they are also the album's greatest drawback, keeping the band from breaking free and explore; chaining the music to a very polite, mannered feel. David Murray - amazon.com

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Kidd Jordan - On Fire (Engine, 2011)

2011-12-08T14:06:00.003-05:00

New Orleans music isn't totally about the neo-traditionalism of the Marsalis clan and Donald Harrison, although no disrespect is meant to those musicians. Saxophonist Kidd Jordan takes the lessons of growing up as a musician in the south and New Orleans in general and combines with the open ended nature of free jazz to develop music bringing strong images, memories, and feelings to mind. He is aided and abetted by Warren Smith on percussion and vibraphone and Harrison Bankhead on bass. Beginning with the evocatively defiant title "Officer, That Big Knife Cuts My Sax Reeds" the group comes blasting out of the gates with a strong performance; Jordan's saxophone has the pained tone reminiscent of one that Albert Ayler used in his classic recordings, stretching out the spaciousness of the music between long tones of burly sound. "The Evil Eye" takes the music in an even more mysterious direction, with probing saxophone evoking mysterious rites one might find in the Louisiana bayous, anchored by bowed bass droning and ominous percussion. "We Are All Indebted to Each Other" and "Harrison Carries Out the Coffin" add shimmering vibraphone to the picture performances that have atmospheres of strangeness or secrecy in their performance. The music develops slowly with plaintive haunting saxophone on the former, giving way to a lengthy spacious section for solo bass, before Jordan lays the music to rest with mournful long tones of saxophone. This is a fascinating performance by some still under-recognized masters of the music. They make music that is beholden to nobody's creed save their own. On Fire - amazon.com

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Andrew Cyrille with Haitian Fascination - Route De Freres (TUM Records, 2011)

2011-12-07T12:39:00.002-05:00

Recorded in 2005 in New York City and finally seeing the light of day, this impressive album by drummer Andrew Cryille was inspired by by visits to his ancestral homeland of Haiti. Cyrille is considered one of the most creative and versatile percussionists in modern jazz, equally at home in a modern mainstream setting as with avant-garde music, and perhaps best known for his membership in the Cecil Taylor’s band during which he established his position as one of the leading percussionists in freely improvised jazz. Since the 1970s, Cyrille has led or co-led a number of ensembles, and on this album he is accompanied by Hamiet Bluiett on baritone saxophone, Alix Pascal on acoustic guitar, Lisle Atkinson on bass and Frisner Augustin percussion and vocals. Far from a free-jazz blowout, this album features nimble percussion & brushes; acoustic guitar and bass with accents of saxophone. Respect for heritage and search for peace in Haiti drives the musical message on this album. “Hope Springs Eternal” makes the message clear, that despite natural disasters and crippling poverty the Haitian culture is vibrant and undaunted. Detailed and patient percussion from the leader and with subtle guitar and Bluiett playing the edges of the music, circling and picking his solo opportunities well as he does on “Isaura.” Three part suite “Route de Frères” builds off the gestalt of Haitian tradition combined with jazz, making for a heady mix of multi-ethnic music. “C’mon Baby” is an upbeat and danceable tune anchored by a very nice percussion solo as is “Mais” a percussion duet based on a Haitian folk melody. The music is light and breezy and quite accessible, Cyrille leads with a light touch and the melding of island rhythms and jazz improvisation makes for an intoxicating mixture. Route De Freres - amazon.com

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Books: Tom Piccirilli

2011-12-05T22:39:00.002-05:00

Loss by Tom Piccirilli

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A handyman at an old historic New York City apartment is also a struggling writer, with several books but few royalties to claim. Meanwhile, his former best friend, turned best-selling rival lives in the penthouse suite surrounded all the trappings of success including a beautiful wife for whom the handyman secretly holds a torch. Then things start to get a little strange: a showman and his trained monkey move in as a remnant who claimed to invent aluminum foil is murdered by an ice pick through the frontal lobe. The handyman sees the ghosts of his dead father and the beautiful wife goes missing… This was another very good short novella, that combines aspects of love and loss, murder and the supernatural with a sprinkling of dry humor.

You'd Better Watch Out by Tom Piccirilli

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When a nameless young man witnesses his mother being murdered on Christmas Day by his crooked cop father, he vows one day to have revenge. While the father serves his jail term the boy grows into a man, first running small time jobs for the Brooklyn mob before becoming the most feared hit man in the city. Juggling his responsibilities as a professional killer, a "torpedo" in mob-speak, and a family man with twins, he ruthlessly overthrows the mob boss setting up the final showdown between him and his father… on Christmas Eve. This story or "noirella" as Piccrilli calls it was a blast to read from start to finish. Sticking close to his most successful themes like violence tempered or enraged by family, he has crafted a great story that stands with his finest work. As an unrepentant Scrooge and holiday hater, this is one holiday story I can unflinchingly recommend.

The Night Class by Tom Piccirilli

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Caleb is in the last year at university, struggling with his thesis, his girlfriend and a drinking problem. When he returns to school after winter break, he discovers that a female student had been murdered in his room, and that the evidence had been shoddily covered up. After a run in with his bullying Ethics professor, he retreats to a storage room under the university library where the dead girl's belongings are being stored. He he works on his thesis, and attempts to make sense of this mysterious woman's death and his own sister's suicide. When he is invited to a party at the house of the university's dean he begins to unravel a complex web of murder, sex and betrayal. This is an early book from Piccrilli, one of my favorite writers, a melancholy coming of age tale, with overtones of horror, crime and the supernatural. He would return to the school setting later in the excellent Shadow Season, but this book drifts on heavy dialogue and exposition, despite having some fascinating characters like the narcoleptic psychic Fuggy Fred, and Caleb's friend Melissa Lea. The story ends abruptly and hanging in midair, frustrating yet occasionally fascinating work from a writer of immense talent.

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It's the End of the Year as We Know It (and I feel anxious...)

2011-12-04T18:48:00.004-05:00

A couple of kind souls have made the mistake of considering me a journalist and inviting me to take part in their year end polls. The legendary jazz critic Francis Davis is conducting a poll in conjunction with Rhapsody.com and this was my response to his query:

Top Ten New Releases:
10. Darius Jones & Matthew Shipp - Cosmic Lieder (AUM Fidelity, 2011)
9. Wadada Leo Smith - Heart's Reflections (Cuneiform, 2011)
8. William Hooker & Thomas Chapin - Crossing Points (NoBusiness, 2011)
7. Sam Rivers & the Rivbea Orchestra - Trilogy (Mosaic Select 38, 2011)
6. BB & C - The Veil (Cryptogramophone, 2011)
5. Matt Lavelle - Goodbye New York, Hello World (Musicnow, 2011)
4. Miles Davis Quintet - Live in Europe 1967, Bootleg Series Vol. 1 (Legacy, 2011)
3. Matthew Shipp - Art of the Improviser (Thirsty Ear, 2011)
2. World Saxophone Quartet – Yes We Can (Jazzwerkstatt, 2011)
1. Mostly Other People Do the Killing - The Coimbra Concert (Clean Feed, 2011)

Top Three re-issues:
3. Bill Dixon - Intents and Purposes (RCA 1969; International Phonograph, 2011)
2. John Coltrane - The Impulse! Albums Volume 4 (Impulse 1965-66; Hip-O Select, 2011)
1. Julius Hemphill - Dogon A.D. (Arista/Freedom 1972, 1977; International Phonograph, 2011)

Year's best vocal album:
The Claudia Quintet + 1 - What is the Beautiful (With Kurt Elling & Theo Bleckman) (Cuneiform, 2011)

Year's Best Debut CD:
Inzinzac - Self-Titled (High Two, 2011)

Year's Best Latin jazz CD:
Sao Paulo Underground - Tres Cabecas Loucuras (Cuneiform, 2011)

For the second year, the kind people at El Intruso "a website in Spanish founded in 2005 for people who care about music" have invited me to take part in their year end poll. Here are my responses to their query:

Musician of the year: Wadada Leo Smith
Newcomer Musician: Captain Black Big Band
Group of the year: Mostly Other People Do the Killing
Newcomer group: Inzinzac
Album of the year: Mostly Other People Do the Killing - The Coimbra Concert
Composer: John Zorn
Drums: Hamid Drake
Bass: William Parker
Guitar: Rez Abbasi
Piano: Vijay Iyer
Keyboards/synthesizer/organ: John Medeski
Saxophone: Billy Harper
Trumpet/Cornet: Charles Tolliver
Clarinet: Anat Cohen
Trombone: Steve Swell
Violin/Viola: Jeff Gauthier
Cello: Fred Lonberg-Holm
Vibraphone: Jason Adasiewicz
Others instruments: David Murray, bass clarinet
Female vocals: Leena Conquest
Male Vocals: Mose Allison
Best live band: Sam Rivers Rivbea Orchestra
Record Label: TUM

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FAB Trio - History of Jazz in Reverse (TUM Records, 2011)

2011-12-03T16:30:00.005-05:00

Recorded in New York City in 2005, the FAB Trio consists of Billy Bang on violin, Joe Fonda on bass and Barry Altschul on drums. the title History of Jazz in Reverse alludes the group's ability to meld its music from free improvisation to swing into a coherent whole of collective group interplay. Much of the extended liner essays are given over to laments for the loss of Billy Bang, who passed away earlier this year, but the music itself is anything but mournful. There are a couple of tributes on this record, "For Bea" is a collectively improvised ballad dedicated to Sam Rivers' wife Beatrice, who had died a few days before the recording, and "For Don Cherry" is Billy Bang's tribute to his close friend and great trumpeter. The group's collective free improvisations are the centerpieces of this recording. "Homeward Bound" begins with long, longing tones from Bang, before the bass and drums join in and develop this lengthy improvisation into a complex three way conversation. "Implications" and "From Here to There" are collective improvisations at speed. The members of the group had just completed a tour of Europe when this album was recorded, and it is evident here how much they had developed a unique cohesion that allowed them to play rapidly in a supportive and developmental fashion. The title song, "A History of Jazz in Reverse" brings all of these elements together in a way that unites the trio in an elemental way, allowing them to review the thrilling possibilities that the multiple subgenres of jazz allow eventually melding them all into one in a progressive and exciting manner. The groups ability to cross musical terrain at will is a hallmark of this recording. They are not restrained by any preconceived notions of what "jazz" is, but take all of the source material and meld it together in the crucible of their own talent with excellent results. History of Jazz in Reverse - amazon.com

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Blog Posts: Ethan Iverson; Nicholas Payton

2011-12-02T17:04:00.000-05:00

Pianist Ethan Iverson offers a thoughtful tribute to the recently passed drummer Paul Motian called The Paradox of Continuity.

Nicholas Payton has ignited a storm of controversy with his epic screed On Why Jazz Isn't Cool Anymore.

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Books: Terry Pratchett, Bill Maher

2011-12-01T10:37:00.001-05:00

Snuff by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The venerable fantasy series Discworld has many sub-plots among its nearly forty books, but my favorite involve the city watch commander Sam Vimes and his ever present search for law and order. Asked to finally take a vacation on his wife's country estate, Vimes is bored stiff in the sticks, and soon begins to sniff around in search of wrongs to right. He doesn't have to look far. After the local blacksmith Vimes quarreled with goes missing and he is nearly arrested by the clueless local constabulary, Vimes is heralded by local goblin leaders looking for "just ice," justice that is for a goblin woman found murdered and eviscerated while others were shipped off to slavery in the dead of night. Vimes attacks the crime with his usual vigor, making for a very entertaining story. As with much of Pratchett's work, the story is rife with thinly veiled social commentary, about the nature of good and evil, rich and poor and especially about the outcasts of society and how they are often mistreated. He can be a little preachy at times, with characters getting long grandstanding speeches, but the world and the memorable characters that he has created over the course of thirty plus years of storytelling win the day with a very entertaining book for fantasy fans, and open minded fans of police procedural that don't mind the satirical fantasy setting. Snuff - amazon.com

The New New Rules: How Everybody But Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass by Bill Maher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Comedian and commentator Bill Maher takes snippets from the commentaries from his HBO program and adds them to short vignettes about life in the modern United States and comes up with a very funny and occasionally thought provoking book. In the New Rules segment at the end of each television program, he adds humorous editorials on popular culture and American politics, and many of the more recent ones are included here. The order is alphabetical by topic rather than chronological by date, which can make things seem a little jumbled at times, but the book is more about satire than serious scholarship, so its no big deal. Maher skewers politicians from both sides of the political spectrum and also takes swipes at big business and fatcats of all stripes. While his pro-drug, anti-war statements may turn off people, his scathing wit is often laugh-out-loud funny, and should make this short book appealing to people who don't take themselves too seriously. The New New Rules - amazon.com

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Jurg Wickihalder European Quartet feat. Irene Schweizer - Jump! (Intakt, 2011)

2011-11-30T21:59:00.007-05:00

The third release on Intakt by soprano saxophonist Jurg Wickihalder finds him in the company of the highly regarded pianist Irene Schweizer along with Fabian Gisler on bass and Michael Griener on drums, and they make for a formidable group. The spirit of Thelonious Monk seems to hang in the air as the group navigates five Wickihalder original compositions, all spirited and ripe with opportunity for the musicians to improvise. The group leads off with "Triple Rittberger Exercise" which really brings out the impish Monk-ishness for Schweizer, before making way for a fine unaccompanied soprano saxophone solo. "Red Light Jumping Friends (dedicated to Irène)" has a ripe solo piano opening, strong with gentle filigree. The rest of the bend then enters jauntily, building something of a playful, roguish strut that develops faster and stronger during this section of the dynamic suite-like performance. Low piano and saxophone usher in "Last Jump" probing with an emotional sense of longing and loss. With bass and drums entering spaciously, the music begins to pick up pace, adding a dash of mordant humor to a full-bodied improvisation. After an interlude for solo bass, the music returns to long, lonely tones for saxophone with accents of piano and bass. The shortest performance on the album is also one of its highlights. "6243D (armstand back double somersault 1,5 twists free position)" develops a swirling and dance-like motif, with rolling piano and drums making way for elastic bass and percussion. Kaleidoscopic saxophone and excellent drumming underpin this wonderful performance. The ending track, "High Wire Dancer" is the longest on the album, finishing the album with an emphatic statement. Starting out with a well deserved centerpiece for drummer Michael Griener, the music picks up pace as the rest of the band enters the fray. This dynamic performance builds fast, with snake-charmer soprano saxophone developing a crescendo of high pitched raving over bass and drums with Schweizer laying out. After a calming bass interlude, the full quartet builds back in for a full headstrong sprint to the finish. This was a really well done and consistently interesting album. I'm not as well versed in the European improvisational scene as I should be, but this wonderful album leaves me wanting more. Jump! - amazon.com

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Bernstein/Goldings/Stewart - Live at Smalls (Smalls Live, 2011)

2011-11-29T11:46:00.002-05:00

Guitarist Peter Bernstein, organist Larry Goldings and drummer Bill Stewart have been playing together for many years, holding down a regular gig at the Smalls jazz club when their schedules allow. This is a nice example of their regular gig, beginning with “Chant” which shows the trio playing in a mellow laid back groove, with the organ bubbling and simmering like a thick stew. Drums and organ/guitar trade phrases and then Stewart takes over for a short drum solo before the group returns stretching out at length. “Molto Molto” adds a latin tint to a groove reminiscent to that which Grant Green and Larry Young would establish on some great Blue Note records of the 1960’s. The trio builds a deep subtle groove at a medium tempo, sounding professional but not slick or overly polished. “Everytime We Say Goodbye” slows things down to a languid ballad speed, afer a slow organ buildup, there is subtle ballad guitar over gentle brushes. Bernstein’s guitar leads spaciously before handing off to Goldings’ organ and Stewart’s cymbal beat accenting the loneliness of the song. The low tempo is continued on “Just a Thought,” with bursts of improvisation as the music grows slowly stronger building to a medium boil. The highlight of the performance is a performance of the classic Miles Davis standard “Milestones” beginning with science fiction/Sun Ra sounding organ effects, Bernstein takes the lead with a pithy statement of the familiar melody and builds upon it along with a strong fast organ led groove section. There is a spacious interlude for Stewart’s drums, developing a loud soft dynamic before a restatement of the melody and conclusion. This is a solid group, interacting and listening to each other closely, creating solid mainstream jazz through communicating and dialogue development. Live at Smalls - amazon.com

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Steve Reid, Kieran Hebden and Mats Gustafsson - Live at the South Bank (Smalltown Superjazz, 2011)

2011-11-28T13:47:00.006-05:00

The great drummer Steve Reid enjoyed a fantastic career, playing with everyone from R&B singers to free jazz musicians. He recorded two wonderful albums in the 1970’s, Nova and Rhythmatism before keeping a lower profile the remainder of the decade. In the 2000’s he had a career renaissance, teaming up with the electronic musician Kieran Hebden to produce a number of albums that blurred the boundaries of jazz and electronic music. The two reunite here, joined by Swedish free-jazz saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, in this live performance recorded at the 2009 Meltdown Festival, which was curated by Ornette Coleman. This is a truly inspired performance, with the band performing six long improvisations, featuring Hebden’s bubbling and zooming electronics and sampling and Reid’s ever changing rhythms, which shift like dunes of sand in the desert wind. The wildcard is Gustafsson, who adds spice to the music, picking his spots carefully, accenting the duo and adding his own voice to the proceedings. He actually sits out for the entirety of the first track, “Morning Prayer,” where Hebden and Reid build a hypnotic trance of soundscapes and beats. When he begins to join in on the music, tentatively at first, then with more power and confidence, the music gains added steam, becoming an unstoppable force of uncatagorizable sound. Shifting from dark and brooding textures to exciting, heavy and powerful features, the double album unfolds in a continuous suite waxing and waning like the unstoppable tide. This unique and fascinating performance is highly recommended for progressive jazz and rock fans. Live at the South Bank - amazon.com

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Cuneiform: Sao Paulo Underground; Mats/Morgan Band

2011-11-27T13:37:00.007-05:00

Sao Paulo Underground - Tres Cabecas Loucuras (Cuneiform, 2011) This is a very interesting group that combines jazz composition and improvisation with electronics and effects to create an intoxicating and exotic blend of music. Featuring Rob Mazurek on cornet and electronics, Mauricio Takara on drums and electronics, Guilherme Granado on keyboards, electronics and samplers, Richard Ribeiro on drums as well as a number of special guests. The music on this album deftly mixes influences: contemporary Brazilian music, electronics and spiritual jazz like an updated version of Pharoah Sanders early 70's groove-free LP's create a music that moves like a dreamscape and every track works well as its own self-contained sound world while melding into the cohesive whole of the album. Mazurek, who has worked in several different musical contexts plays very well here, accenting the music and the electronic sculptures and punctuating the music with solo breakouts. The music here defies any particular box or category, drifting on a wave of freedom and possibility and making extraordinary music throughout. Tres Cabacas Loucuras - amazon.com

Mats/Morgan Band - Live (Cuneiform, 2011) Play this album for a traditional acoustic jazz fan and watch their head explode! Just kidding, but not by much. The Mats/Morgan Band recalls the heyday of jazz fusion and progressive rock and blasts that music into the modern day with great musical chops and a sense of humor. With the intricacy of some of Frank Zappa's more ambitious work along with the virtuosity of The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return to Forever. This concert LP expands the group with Mats Oberg, Eric Carlsson and Robert Elovsson on keyboards, Jimmy Agren on guitar, Tommy Thordsson on bass and Morgan Argen on drums. The music works very well in the live context with the instrumental talent and speed of the band's playing definitely appealing to the audience, but that also applies to some of the spacier tracks. Fans of progressive rock and roll or jazz fusion should enjoy this disc quite a bit, there is a lot of talent on display. Live - amazon.com

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Blues: Elmore James

2011-11-26T11:18:00.005-05:00

Elmore James - The Complete Fire and Enjoy Recordings (Collectables, 1995) The great guitarist and singer Elmore James is remembered for his immortal riffs on slide guitar and for his use of loud amplification, but he also had one of the most emotionally powerful singing voices in all of the blues. The selections on this three disc compilation include many of the latter day recordings from the late 1950's and early 1960's recorded before the fateful heart-attack that took him much too soon. This set is quite a handful, including alternate takes and a few performances with James as a sideman rather than a leader. So it's probably not the best place for the curious to begin (that might be the nicely done Rhino set.) But for the hardcore blues fan, this collection is quite a goldmine of extraordinary music. Highlights for me were the epic version of "Rollin' and Tumblin'" propelled along by this apocalyptic bass and drum groove that James rides like a surfer with slide guitar accents and soulful vocals. One of James' most well known songs was composed and recorded during this period. "They Sky Is Crying," one of his most evocative vocal performances, was supposedly inspired by a torrid rainstorm that gave the song its name and lonely feeling. Another famous James song, "Dust My Broom" is included, an R&B hit that gave his backing band its name (The Broomdusters) and a guitar riff that inspired many of the most famous rock and roll musicians of the 1960's. The cover of Sonny Boy Williamson's "One Way Out" (Williamson employed James on the original recording) and the instrumental "Up Jumped Elmore" were also very influential to the likes of The Allman Brothers Band. The liner notes are solid, giving a little bit of background to the recording sessions and the musicians involved, but it is the music itself, which seems to leap out of the speakers that is the real reward. Elmore James was a one of a kind musicians and this is an excellent dose of his music in its prime. Complete Fire & Enjoy Recordings - amazon.com

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Piano: Sunna Gunnlaugs; Dred Scott Trio

2011-11-25T12:24:00.006-05:00

Sunna Gunnlaugs - Long Pair Bond (Sunny Sky, 2011) Icleandic pianist Sunna Gunnlaugs performs her latest album with the help of Porgrimur Jonsson on bass and Scott McLemore on drums. The group works very well together, on first listen it seems to be a self-functioning unit like the Keith Jarrett or Brad Mehldau trios, but closer listening shows the depth and thoughtfulness of the performances. The trio shows a great deal of mindfulness, approaching the music in the present moment and bringing an attentive way of dealing with both the compositions and deep listening to their colleagues. There is a crystalline beauty to the music that upon further examination unfolds its secrets slowly like the narrative of a well written novel. “Autumnalia” was a favorite track of mine, the slightly melancholy air of the music aptly describing in music the beauty and transitory nature of the fall season. There are two interesting covers on the album, “Diamonds on the Inside” originally by Ben Harper is re-arranged as a spacious meditation with large drops of piano notes falling like rain around the supportive bass and drums, and the beautifully haunting “Vicious World” by Rufus Wainwright, transformed into an excellent ballad with deft brushwork by Scott McLemore. This was a very impressive and well done album with the group having clear comprehension of their musical ideas and having great attention, engagement and compassion with the musical ecology they are creating. Long Pair Bond - Bandcamp

Dred Scott Trio: Going Nowhere (Ropeadope, 2011) The Dred Scott Trio with Scott on piano, Ben Rubin on bass and Tony Mason on drums takes the piano trio format in a different direction, playing forcefully and dynamically, with a tongue in cheek sense sense of humor akin to another wonderful piano trio, The Bad Plus. Scott is a forceful piano player, getting a deeply full bodied sound out of the instrument whether skittering nervously with vocal interjections on “66 6ths” to the funky and occasionally raunchy rave up “Mojo Rhythm (Son of Yaa!) where the bass and drums build a nice rhythm and blues groove for Scott to weave around. They end on a slightly unexpected note with a performance of the standard “Seven Steps to Heaven.” The juxtaposing of their hard, rhythmic approach with moments of spacial awareness make this an interesting album, something that should make the band appeal beyond the jazz audience into aficionados of funky jazz like Medeski, Martin and Wood. Going Nowhere - DredScott Store

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Trumpets: Wadada Leo Smith; Corey Wilkes

2011-11-23T20:04:00.005-05:00

Wadada Leo Smith - Dark Lady of the Sonnets (TUM, 2011) Always searching for new musical vistas, the trumpet and flugelhorn player Wadada Leo Smith teams up with Min Xiao-Fen on pipa and occasional voice and Pheeroan akLaff on drums. The trio is called Mbira, and they create a very interesting album featuring five lengthy improvisations which develop dynamically from abstract beginnings and unfold in suite-like formations growing collective improvisational energy gradually like particles from the cosmic void coalescing into stars and planets. Min Xiao-Fen is particularly fascinating, with the plucked instrument akin to a lute adding depth and texture to the music. akLaff has been playing with Smith for many years and his weaving of percussion ideas from many cultures and ideas underpins much of the music's success. Smith is in particularly potent form, playing lengthy and strong lines on his instruments. "Blues: Cosmic Beauty" takes the earthiness of roots based music and melds it with percussion and strings to develop a new cohesion and opportunity for musical expression. "Dark Lady of the Sonnets" flows organically with a lyrical and narrative grace, folding in diverse influences from Africa and Asia into a rich coherent structure. This album combines the traditional aspects of ethnic and improvisational music while reaching out for the unknown without fear. Its essence is thoughtful and vital and this program is filled with powerful, involving music. Dark Lady Of The Sonnets - amazon.com
Corey Wilkes - Kind of Miles: Live at the Velvet Lounge (Katalyst, 2011) Corey Wilkes is a another trumpeter reared in the fertile Chicago scene (who probably has listened to quite a bit of Wadada Leo Smith.) So precocious was he that Wilkes was tapped to stand in for Lester Bowie in a reformed Art Ensemble of Chicago live album. On this disc, also recorded live, but at the famed Velvet Lounge in Chicago, Wilkes examines the music of another departed trumpet master, Miles Davis. But he stays away from the usual "tribute album" cliches by crafting four long dream like performances, beginning with Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays," a tune Davis often covered. After that, the band breaks out to Davis' electric material, using the melodies and ideas of the original music as jumping off points for lengthy solos and collective passages that range far and wide. Combining the acoustic and the electric in the closing "So What/It's In the Right Place" shows all sides of the band from fiery to contemplative, and the group consisting of Kevin Nabors is on tenor saxophone, Greg Spero on keyboards, Junius Paul on bass, Xavier Breaker on drums and Kahil El Zabar on percussion, mostly use the space to their advantage to meld and shape the music to their own ends. Patience is required, because their are some static spots in the lengthy jam like performances, but they are successful in their ques to use the music of Miles Davis as an inspiration rather than a destination. Kind Of Miles - amazon.com

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Paul Motian

2011-11-22T21:14:00.002-05:00

Rest in Peace, Paul Motian.

Music Listening: Samuel Blaser, Atomic, R.E.M.

2011-11-21T12:44:00.006-05:00

Samuel Blaser - Consort in Motion (Kind of Blue, 2011) This is a chamber jazz album filled with hushed tones and thoughtfully designed improvisations between Samuel Blaser on trombone, Russ Lossing on piano, Thmoas Morgan on bass and Paul Motian on drums. The interaction between between Blaser's delicately smeared and articulated trombone and Motian's minimalist percussion creates a quiet, intimate album that requires and concentration and contemplation. "Si Dolce è l'Tormento" and "Reflections on Vespro della Beata Vergine" nudge the tempos slightly up a little bit, engaging the band into full improvisation and interpretation of the themes and melodies. Consort In Motion - amazon.com

Atomic - Here Comes Everybody (Jazzland, 2011) The joyfully boisterous Scandinavian jazz collective Atomic, consisting of Fredrik Ljungkvist on saxophones, Magnus Broo on trumpet, Havard Wiik on piano, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums, takes a much different direction, performing free-bop that is grounded in the exploratory music of the 1960's, blasted forward into the modern world. Made up of some the best performers on the European jazz scene, the players are able to put any individual notions or egos aside and drive their energies collectively into the exciting and dynamic music. Making music that blurs the intersection of hard bop and free jazz, that allows them to carve out exciting territory for their sonic explorations, makes this a very exciting and enjoyable album. Here Comes Everybody - iTunes

R.E.M. - Part Lies Part Heart Part Truth Part Garbage 1982-2011 (Warner Brothers, 2011) This is a compilation pushed out in the wake of the venerable American rock 'n' roll band's surprising announcement to disband after a thirty year run. Although two discs are not enough to sum up the band's contribution to music, it does a decent job of hitting some of the high points. Early classics like "Radio Free Europe" are included along with some of the other highlights from the groups early tenure on IRS records making up the first disc. Disc two concentrates on their recordings for Warner Bothers, occasionally brilliant like the selections from the extraordinary Automatic for the People LP, but also including some questionable selections from their spottier recordings in the mid 2000's. Not perfect by any means, but it makes a sensible place to start for the curious. Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982 - 2011 - amazon.com

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Books: Choke Hold By Christa Faust

2011-11-19T17:09:00.001-05:00

Choke Hold by Christa Faust

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Former adult film star turned vigilante Angel Dare is hiding out working in a small greasy spoon diner in Yuma, Arizona, after being busted out of the witness protection program by the very gangsters she tried to put away in the previous novel, Money Shot. When she has a chance encounter with a former lover and his estranged son, in the diner. Before they have a chance to get properly reacquainted, killers burst into the room with a hail of gunfire. Angel’s ex-beau takes a mortal hit and makes a deathbed request that she keep his eighteen year old son, a budding Mixed Martial Arts star safe at all costs. After barely escaping the attack, the move to the son Cody’s friend’s house, the punch-drunk fighter Hank. Together the three scour the American Southwest and Mexico, trying to shake the gangsters once and for all and and trying to get Cody his big chance at becoming a championship fighter in Las Vegas. This is a short and very powerful noir story, where the protagonist, Angel, is drawn into a series of events beyond her control that spiral out of control into chaos and death. In Angel Dare, author Christa Faust has created a truly compelling character, haunted by a troubled past, but hell-bent on being a survivor and nobody’s victim. Faust weaves elements of paranoia and dark violence into the narrative recalling pulp masters like David Goodis and Philip K. Dick, in the plot where nothing is what it seems and the well-drawn characters are desperate to stay one step ahead of danger. Choke Hold (Hard Case Crime) - amazon.com

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The Who - Quadrophenia- The Director's Cut (Super Deluxe Edition) (Geffen, 2011)

2011-11-18T19:27:00.005-05:00

The progressive rock opera Quadrophenia has been my favorite album by The Who since I discovered it in college. This is one of those "overkill" reissues, really aimed at the true believer fan, containing not only the original double album re-mastered, but discs of demos and surround sound mixes, along with a hardcover book and other related ephemera. I didn’t have the money (or the attention span) to purchase the whole set, so I was thrilled that the most of the music (except for the surround sound) was made available on the music streaming site MOG. Even compressed to 320 kbs MP3 format, I could hear the improvement in the sound over the cassette I wore out as a student or the early edition CD that I have. Quadrophenia was a “concept album,” like the band’s Tommy or the aborted Lifehouse project, and this album is about youth alienation during the mods vs. rockers conflict in early ’60’s England. The highlights of the music for me have always been some of the stand-alone pieces like “The Real Me” which is one of the band’s most potent uptempo anthems featuring stellar bass playing from John Entwistle and powerful vocals from Roger Daltrey. The horn and piano enhanced “5:15” and the hauntingly powerful ballad “Love Reign O’er Me” are some of the groups most mighty songs. These performances and the rest of the album are strung together with a loose storyline and some instrumental filler that uses some early synthesizer technology on display. I think the original album is a classic, but the demo songs on the remaining discs/streams are really of interest only to heavy fans. It’s interesting to hear how Pete Townshend arranged the music using synths and guitar, and the way that the band would develop and flesh out the full versions of these skeletal songs. Much of the music here is akin to the Scoop and Another Scoop LP’s released by Townshend in the 1980’s. I didn’t have a change to see the extensive liner book and the other chotchkies that come with the box, but the photographs and essays are undoubtably impressive. This is quite a package and quite a pricetag, but for the die-hard fan of The Who it is probably worth the expense. There is a more wallet friendly Director’s Cut that has the remastered original album and a few of the demos at a much lower price. Quadrophenia- The Director's Cut (Super Deluxe Edition)

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Jason Adasiewicz - Spacer (Delmark, 2011)

2011-11-17T20:15:00.000-05:00

Re-united with his Sun Rooms group featuring Nate McBride on bass and Mike Reed on drums, Jason Adasiewicz furthers his claim on being the pre-eminent vibraphonist on the progressive jazz scene. A mainstay in Chicago jazz groups as both a leader and valued member of collective ensembles, he is continuing the forward thinking jazz tradition on the vibraphone created by the likes of Walt Dickerson and Khan Jamal. This trio has developed a near telepathic empathy, like the best piano trios, with the ringing vibes shimmering playing with and against deeply wrought bass and nimble drumming developing a deeply rhythmic pattern. Bookended by two short solo vibraphone excursions, the music is consistently excellent, whether played at speed like the fast paced “Bees” and “Run Fly” where the group collaborates to produce a unique sound world. “Pillow” and “Bobbie” slow things down to a ballad tempo, allowing the group space to work and develop improvisations from the evocative themes. This was a really well done album by a trio that deserves great respect and opportunity to play their music often. Vibraphone trios are comparatively rare in jazz, but this album makes a compelling case for the format. The music is engaging and challenging and the performers are some of the best the fertile Chicago scene has to offer. Spacer - amazon.com

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Books: Black Light by Patrick Melton, st. al.

2011-11-16T10:45:00.001-05:00

Black Light by Patrick Melton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Buck Carlsbad is a private investigator, traveling the country taking jobs and pulling marks. Sounds pretty innocuous, right? Until you learn that Buck has a special gift, and that pulling marks means capturing wayward ghosts and poltergeists. Buck is scarred by thoughts a desolate stretch of Nevada where the ghosts of several notorious killers lie and where his parents themselves were killed. He tried to go there once before and was nearly killed himself by what lies in wait there. When he learns of plans to build a high-speed rail line that will connect Los Angeles and Las Vegas, traveling right through the paranormal "triangle" in the desert, and he receives a mysterious invitation to ride the inaugural journey, he knows that there is trouble brewing. As Buck rides the high-speed train and the ghosts come out of the woodwork, he's in a life or death struggle, where everything is on the line. This book is an interesting horror-thriller, and it moves seamlessly despite being a collaboration between three different writers. There is a considerable amount of graphic violence on par with some movies (the writers wrote the screenplays for the Saw franchise if that gives you any idea) but if you are a fan of supernatural horror, you should definitely check this one out. Black Light - amazon.com

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MSMW Live: In Case The World Changes Its Mind

2011-11-14T14:11:00.002-05:00

This is a live collection from jazz guitarist John Scofield collaborating with John Medeski on organ and keyboards, Billy Martin on drums and Chris Wood on bass. The music was drawn from the source material of their previous collaborations John Scofield’s A Go Go and MSMW’s Out Louder. Their lengthy 2006 tour together provided the music for this album. The open the double-live album in fine fashion with the up-tempo groover “A Go-Go,” featuring a strong guitar solo. Bubbling organ and funky rhythm made this a great crowd pleaser. “Deadzy” brings a more atmospheric focus to the proceedings. The song has a creepy haunted-house feel with spooky guitar shards punctuating rumbling bass and drums and smears of organ. “What Now” brings us back to a fast, overdriven organ groove with guitar accents, everybody storming hard. Steaming electric organ and wah guitar which develop into an excellent solo halfway through. The band comes through at full throttle making this a definitive highlight of the album. Bringing the funk is the main focus of “Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing” with a Meters/New Orleans type rhythm, with the organ swirling happily over the parade groove. A section for thick bass and a drum solo are featured before the full band comes back together for a wickedly funky conclusion. The group references the blues quite nicely with “In Case The World Changes Its Mind” and “Little Walter Rides Again.” Both develop excellent R&B grooves with Medeski getting a wide variety of sounds from his keyboard lineup, including one that sounds uncannily like an amplified harmonica. A final track of note is “Miles Behind” opening with a fine drum solo before segueing into a stomping live improvisation like something out of the Miles Davis On the Corner sessions. Wood provides a massive bass pivot like Michael Henderson did in the Davis band, and Scofield employs guitar effects to mimic the electrified trumpet of the fierce groove of Davis’s electrical period. This was as well put together live collection that shows the band in a variety of settings from jazz fusion through blues and gospel. They are able to meld these diverse source materials into lengthy jam style improvisations, making for an enjoyable collection. MSMW Live: In Case The World Changes Its Mind - amazon.com

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Ivo Perelman - The Hour of the Star (Leo Records, 2011)

2011-11-13T15:26:00.003-05:00

South American saxophonist Perelman has been a fixture on the free jazz scene for decades now, recording albums in a variety of musical combinations for a variety of record labels. This is the best one of his I have heard, he is in rare form and the band is absolutely stellar: Matthew Shipp on piano, Joe Morris on bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums. The quartet setting suits the music perfectly as it sits on the nexus of modern jazz and free improvisation. The band can be quite intense during the uptempo free passages on "Singing the Blues" and the lengthy "Hour of the Star." Perelman's tenor saxophone is brawny and raw, very emotional and deep. The rhythm team is excellent, providing an elastic base for the leader to bend and shape at his will. Matthew Shipp in particularly excellent, both in accompaniment and solo spots. They throttle back to a quasi-ballad on the haunting short song "The Right to Protest," before ramping the sound back up to a thrilling finale. This was a very well done and consistently excellent album, with all four members of the band playing at the top of their game. Fans of modern jazz and free improvisation will be thrilled by this exciting album. The Hour Of The Star - amazon.com

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Books: The Affair by Lee Child

2011-11-12T15:08:00.001-05:00

The Affair by Lee Child

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lee Child's most recent Jack Reacher thriller sends his famous character back in time to where he developed many of the quirks that made the other books in the series so enjoyable. This novel is set in 1997, and Reacher is still an Army MP with the rank of major. The Army is changing, downsizing in the interlude between the end of the Cold War and the beginning of the War on Terror. Three murders of beautiful women have occurred in a small town in Mississippi, which is located near an important and politically connected Army base. The Army sends an investigator to check out the base which is locked down during the investigation, while Reacher is slipped into the town through the back door to conduct an unofficial investigation of the town. Reacher joins forces with the (naturally) beautiful female sheriff, an ex-Marine who sees through his cover story immediately. Looking for either a civilian or military killer, Reacher conducts his own type of investigation uncovering a massive conspiracy that goes all the way to the top. This book works pretty well, and Reacher remains a compelling character, and to see him in transition between the military and civilian worlds is quite interesting. Child writes at a brisk pace that keeps things moving along well even when the characters are waiting for something to happen. With the sheriff being repeatedly described as a beautiful woman, it is inevitable that she would get together and the sex scenes do grow a little gratuitous after a while. But it is a small quibble in another fine entry in a very popular series. The Affair: A Reacher Novel - amazon.com

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November Podcast

2011-11-11T23:06:00.004-05:00

I hadn't done a podcast in a while and I wanted to give you a chance to check out what I have been listening to lately. The link to the podcast page for downloading (and eventually streaming) is here. Let me know what you think, it's been a while since I've tried this. Here is the playlist:

Background Music by Jason Stein Quartet; Milestones by Charles Earland; Minus Gravity 1 by David S. Ware; Monuments by Rez Abbasi; Killer by Rudresh Mahanthappa; TMNT by Sidony Box; Hazelnut Eyes by Gilad Hekselman; The Edge by Wellstone Conspiracy; Wayne's World by John Escreet and Recoil by Nils Petter Molvaer.

Any artists or representatives objecting to the use of their music, please contact via e-mail.

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Jason Stein Quartet - The Story This Time (Delmark, 2011)

2011-11-10T15:34:00.003-05:00

Choosing to focus on the bass clarinet makes Jason Stein a unique figure in jazz. While notables like Eric Dolphy and David Murray have used the instrument as part of their repertoire, Stien’s focus on the instrument has led him to develop his own unique voice. The remainder of the quartet consists of Keefe Jackson on tenor saxophone and and contrabass clarinet, Josh Abrams on bass and Frank Rosaly on drums. “Background Music” and “Lennie Bird” bookend the album with short, taut performances and dexterously intertwined horns. The saxophone and bass clarinet swirl around each other like a helix over throbbing bass and drums. Three compositions by Thelonious Monk are also featured. “Skippy” has the bass and drums developing a great foundation for the wonderful Monk melody before Stein breaks out for a solo statement. The two develop a really nice reed interaction over a swinging rhythm. “Gallop’s Gallop” takes an experimental track beginning with a gentle statement of the melody, then moving into an abstract section of squeaks and squawks before returning to a low-key conclusion. “Work” has a dynamic feel with funky, growling horns contrasting with lighter passages. Among the other compositions, “Little Big Horse” is a highlight, with tricky hornwork developing a slinky melody over fine sounding bass and drums. This performance is kept fresh with an expressive solo for bass clarinet, developing a raw and potent feel. Performing compositions from a wide range of musicians in an interesting setting, this album proves to be very enjoyable and exciting. The Story This Time - amazon.com

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Rez Abbasi - Suno Suno (Enja, 2011)

2011-11-08T19:57:00.004-05:00

Guitarist and composer Rez Abbasi has been developing a unique conception of the song form and improvisation that draws from a wide variety of influences, including Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music. Joining him on this album is a band consisting of: Rudresh Mahanthappa on alto saxophone, Vijay Iyer on piano, Johannes Weidenmuller on bass and Dan Weiss on drums. For the most part, the album is made up of lengthy, dynamic suite-like performances, beginning with “Thanks for Giving,” stately uptempo beginning building to a percussive vibrant piano solo that makes use of the entire instrument. The song builds dynamically with an extended guitar solo with drum encouragement. Alto saxophone builds in, swirling over choppy percussion and melding like a crucible of musical tones. “Onus on Us” takes a mellower mid-tempo tact, with guitar breaking out for a probing solo, patient and making great use of space. It is a well textured, lengthy solo developing into percussive piano and drum interaction. Swirling saxophone moves in progressing into a quiet fire before making way for a bass solo. After a short piano introduction, “Monuments” envelops a throbbing intensity, with a repetitive grove setting a foundation for strong saxophone over rumbling piano. Mahanthappa breaks out for a complex saxophone feature, with the full band following suit. Abbasi breaks out for a mix of heavy repetitive riffs and heady soloing. “Nusrat” has a melodic opening featuring low-end that leads into a taut and pointed guitar solo that builds to a fine climatic sequence. Wailing, almost pained saxophone drawn from deep inner strength envelops the music projecting deeply visionary music, propelled by excellent drumming. A rippling piano, bass and drums opening ushers in “Overseas” which quickly becomes a feature for pianist Vijay Iyer. His piano rolls, ably supported by bass and drums, before saxophone drifts in gradually in a patient and mysterious manner enveloped by smears of abstract guitar. Mathanhappa probes the music quietly on the sly before building to a fast and strong conclusion. Funky piano trio with guitar slithering out at a medium tempo opens the set closing “Part of One.” A lengthy guitar solo patiently builds an architectural statement while piano and percussion weave intricate dynamic feeling like textiles of sound. The alto saxophone really builds to a snake-charmer intensity, with exotic tones as the full band brings the music to a conclusion. In their attempt to meld the traditional music of northern India into a jazz context, the group has woven together a great set of performances. The compositions are memorable, leading to thoughtful and inventive improvisations and the playing is sterling all around. Suno Suno - amazon.com

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David S. Ware - Organica (Solo Saxophones, Volume 2) (AUM Fidelity, 2011)

2011-11-07T15:16:00.003-05:00

For saxophonist and composer David S. Ware’s second volume of solo unaccompanied performances for the AUM Fidelity label, He has chosen sets from two performances; first a private performance from Park Slope in Brooklyn, then his set from the Umbrella Music Festival in Chicago. Both of these are strong and vibrant performances, with Ware dividing time between the tenor and sopranino saxophones. “Minus Gravity 1” and “Minus Gravity 2” are taken from different concerts, but both feature the sopranino saxophone, which though small in size, makes a very distinctive tone, allowing Ware to swirl and sway in a very free and bird-like manner. The title “Minus Gravity” is apt, because it is as if he has been unshackled from the Earth’s gravitational field, and his music is free to travel like a light beam across the Universe. He is able to shape and mold the music during both improvisations, allowing the music to seek its own freedom, while he keeps the guiding hand nearby. “Organica 1” and “Organica 2” are also aptly named, as tenor saxophone features, the feel like they have sprung like beautiful flowers from the deep, rich and fertile soil first sown by the likes of Coleman Hawkins and Sonny Rollins. Ware’s brawny tenor saxophone sound is a direct continuation of this lineage (in fact, he studied with Rollins for a brief time as a young man.) The earthy depth and his use of the entire range of the horn make both of these performances captivating. Unaccompanied free(ish) saxophone might seem like a difficult endeavor, but the great variety of sounds he can attain on his horns, from graceful swing to exotic tones to full out wailing are a wonder to behold. These extended improvisations never wander into noodling, nor are they repetitive. The extended musical canvas gives him the space and time needed for his ventures. David S. Ware remains one of jazz’s most ardent musical explorers as demonstrated on this fine album, his creativity knows no bounds. Organica (Solo Saxophones, Volume 2) - amazon.com

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John Escreet - Exception to the Rule (Criss Cross, 2011)

2011-11-04T23:31:00.003-04:00

British expatriate pianist and composer John Escreet has made quite a name for himself as a leader and a sideman, recording for Davis Binney’s Mythology Records and also the Dutch Criss Cross label. On this album he takes a shifting approach to the jazz paradigm, adding spots of electronics and breaking up his longer improvisations with small vignettes. On this session of original compositions recorded on January 19, 2011 in Brooklyn, Escreet is accompanied by David Binney on saxophone and electronics, Eivind Opsvik on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums. The opening track “Exception to the Rule” has rolling drums and piano, developing into a strong and vibrant saxophone solo at a fast tempo. An intense full band section develops led by wild saxophone and drums. “Collapse” has an open feel with the piano trio developing an spacious vibe. The group contrasts light and dark before Binney enters late, probing and developing his statement to intense fever pitch. The full quartet develops fast off the blocks on “Escape Hatch” with a fine collective improvisational section moving to an open area of saxophone and drums. This is a very dynamic performance revealing a choppy abstract middle section using electronic flourishes, before pulling things together for a fast wrap up. Percussive piano and saxophone swirls build the template of “The Water Is Tasting Worse” where Binney takes control and builds to a potent and complex solo. Escreet wrestles control back with a fine percussive piano solo. “Wayne’s World” wraps up the album with the leaders piano developing a very nice foundation for the performance. Binney enters, building an enigmatic solo akin to that of Wayne Shorter whom I assume the composition is dedicated to. The music shifts dramatically between fast saxophone focused sections and slower more ruminative piano interludes. This album worked quite well, John Excreet is able to demonstrate his compositional prowess while at the same time incorporating elements of technology which increase the palette of the music. The band is rock solid throughout and makes an emphatic statement. Exception To The Rule - amazon.com

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Rudresh Mahanthappa - Samdhi (ACT, 2011)

2011-11-03T17:37:00.012-04:00

Alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa has become an important force on the modern jazz scene, leading his own groups and touring with legends like drummer Jack DeJohnette. This is Mathanthappa's most experimental recording to date, combining music from the Indian sub-continent, jazz and fusion to create a potent and heady brew. Accompanying him are David Gilmore on guitar, Rich Brown on bass, Damion Reid on drums and "Anand" Anantha Krishnan on percussion. There are also electronics and loops that add to the musical texture. After the slow opening incantation of "Parakram #1," the group really hits the ground running with the aptly named "Killer." Swirling pinched sounding alto saxophone along with strong drums and bass lead to the great vibrancy of the music. Saxophone and electric guitar trade and chase in an extraordinarily fast and dexterous manner over hammering electric bass and drums, making for a highlight of the recording, shining with incandescent luminosity. There are short breaks scattered amongst the longer improvisations, but "Playing With Stones," a longer tune, in which saxophone and electric bass build in strong and tart. Gilmore's guitar shadows Mahanthappa's saxophone over and excellent electric bass foundation. They then make way for a dynamic open section featuring bass and drums augmented by guitar accents. "Breakfastlunchanddinner" takes a funky route with saxophone and guitar trading phrases in an uptempo bouncy fashion that recalls Ornette Coleman's great fusion albums Body Meta and Dancing in Your Head. Powerful saxophone leads to a scalding electric guitar solo, Gilmore really lays it on the line here, with a great rock tinged performance. Rich Brown is really the beating heart of the band and he is given a sterling bubbling solo backed by drums and guitar accents before the full band comes together for a strong conclusion. "Parakram #2" goes in an entirely different direction, developing smeared abstractions of sounds with echoing drums and saxophone rising above the cacophony. Electronics and synths along with copious overdubbing make for a strangely otherworldly impact, with sharp blasts of saxophone cutting through. "Ahhh" digs even deeper with bass and drums probing the depths while saxophone and guitar slither in at a medium tempo. Hand percussion simmers while guitar and saxophone intertwine like DNA. Mathanthappa breaks out for longer tones of yearning saxophone before turning the reigns over to Gilmore who creates his own electromagnetic field on guitar. The pace picks up to overdrive with dubbed saxophone wildly baying. Funky drums and electric bass return for "Still-Gas" before the full band kicks in hard. Long tones of saxophone with guitar accents usher in a loud/fast vs. soft/abstract notion that develops the kinetic energy which powers the performance. There is also a sterling section of electric guitar over bubbling bass and urgent drumming, before the full band reunites for a complex conclusion. Samdhi looks forward to new vistas in Mathanhappa's all-encompassing musical vision. Combining multi-cultural music and looking at jazz in a fresh direction, he has created a unique synergy of music that is fresh and exciting. Samdhi - amazon.com

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Opus 5 - Introducing Opus 5 (Criss Cross, 2011)

2011-11-02T17:44:00.002-04:00

On January 27, 2011, five veterans of the Mingus Big Band, and heavy-hitters on the mainstream jazz scene in their own right met to record an album under the collective name Opus 5. The band consists of Seamus Blake on tenor saxophone, Alex Sipiagin on trumpet and flugelhorn, David Kikoski on electric and acoustic piano, Donald Edwards on drums and Boris Kozlov on bass. The group channels the hard-bop giants like Art Blakey and pre-electric Miles Davis, but brings a thoroughly modern sensibility to the proceedings. The opening track, “Think of Me,” begins at a medium tempo with multiple horns playing over a curved bed of electric piano. A round-robin series of solo are taken with Blake building a strong statement to increase the pace. Kikoski’s textures on the Fender Rhodes piano and the rolling drumwork of Edwards add depth and breadth to the music. “Tallysman” opens with fast horns harmonizing together, yielding to a spitfire trumpet solo with deep drum support. Strong, full bodied piano leads into a full band conclusion. Vibrant piano accompaniment sets the stage for the horns to harmonize on “Baker’s Dozen.” Seamus Blake unleashes a lengthy, well constructed saxophone solo, making way for an unaccompanied piano feature before the full band returns to the melody. “Ton to Tom” slows things down to a ballad tempo, featuring lush tenor saxophone and subtle brushes. Blake develops a lonely late-night feel to his ballad playing, while Sipiagin glides in with washes of brass leading to a gentle swirl of the horns intertwining. Swinging hard-bop and Fender Rhodes piano return on “Nostalgia in Time” with the trumpet breaking out fast and strong and a nice saxophone building over a foundation of electric piano and rhythm, before the band builds back up to a peak for a strong finish. This is a well done and empathetic collaborative project, egos are kept in check and all energy is driven toward the service of the music, which is performed with crisp enthusiasm. Definitely an album for mainstream jazz fans to keep an eye out for. Introducing Opus 5 - amazon.com

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Books: Damned by Chuck Palahniuk

2011-10-31T11:15:00.002-04:00

Damned by Chuck Palahniuk

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Madison Spencer is the chubby, precocious daughter of a pair of wildly narcissistic movie stars condemned to Hell for "overdosing on marijuana." In this wicked satire of Christian mythology, adult greed and teen drama, Madison finds out that Hell is often like the infamous teenage movie The Breakfast Club, as she joins forces with teen stereotypes: the jock, the stoner, the diva, in order to make her way through the afterlife. Starting every chapter with a snarky jab at the teen fiction nugget "Are You There God, It's Me Margaret," Madison describes her time in Hell, working in the Satanic call center where calls are placed to the living during the dinner hour asking inane questions about consumer products. Madison also recounts her brief life with her super wealthy and self-absorbed parents, a brutal send-up of the celebrity worship culture we live in in America today. As Madison travels through hell, she meets historical figures of the past, from the expected like Adolf Hitler to the unusual like Charles Darwin. Slowly Madison begins to change, and the obsequious and servile child grows more brazen and literally discovers her true self... in Hell. This was a pretty well done satire, and one of Palahniuk's more successful books (he tends to be wildly great or spectacularly awful.) The narrative is a little choppy and underdeveloped at times (possibly over-edited do to the subject matter?) but he makes his characters convincing and believable, and the satire and in-jokes are quite amusing. While certainly not for the Christian Conservative crowd, any open minded reader looking for a sharply worded satire should enjoy this book. Damned - amazon.com

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News and Notes

2011-10-31T10:28:00.005-04:00

Pianist and composer Sunna Gunnlaugs is running a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to finance her new album.

Tom Hull posts his core list of the best jazz from 1960-1969.

Destination: Out posts some classic Ornette Coleman.

Decanting (cerebral) continues their series re-evaluating great jazz albums from the 1980's.

Weasel Walter asks the thought provoking question: Why listen to complex music?

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Joe Cohn - Fuego (Criss Cross, 2011)

2011-10-30T14:42:00.005-04:00

Mainstream jazz guitarist Joe Cohn recorded this album on November 16, 2010 in Brooklyn, accompanied by a hard hitting crew consisting of Peter Beets on piano, John Webber on bass and Kenny Washington on drums. You would expect a deeply swinging session from the son of famous saxophonist Joe Cohn, and that is exactly what is delivered here with a setlist that leans heavily on the compositions of the bebop and hard bop masters. The band plays together very well, supporting each other nicely during round-robin cycles of soloing in each tune. Beginning with Jackie McLean’s classic composition “Little Melonae” the group sets an up-tempo pace, developing rippling solos for piano and bass wrapped around a nice shell of guitar and drums. George Shearing’s “She” keeps the action bubbling with some uptempo swing buoyed by a fine piano, bass and a nimble guitar feature. On “Dewey Square” by Charlie Parker, the group releases their inner bebop, Washington's fast cymbal work leads the way into hard guitar based swing, nimble and dexterous, with a happy sounding piano interlude before drums, piano and guitar trade phases to conclude the performance. The group swings in a strong and thoughtful manner on Cole Porter’s standard “Love for Sale” with a well developed guitar solo as its centerpiece. An excellent and lengthy piano solo and bass interlude wrap things up. “Call it Wachawana” by the saxophonist Johnny Griffin is a fun swinger with a strong backbeat Cohn solos over a loping beat, making way for an elastic bass solo. This was a consistently excellent and very well played mainstream jazz album. The music is very accessible, yet exciting and the group makes use of some of the lesser known songs in the jazz canon to keep things fresh and interesting. Fuego - amazon.com

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Howlin' Wolf - Smokestack Lightning / Complete Chess Masters (1951 to 1960) (Hip-O Select, 2011)

2011-10-29T14:00:00.005-04:00

Chester Burnett, aka Howlin’ Wolf was one of the most primordial and influential figures on the blues scene from the 1950’s to the 1970’s. His protean voice and harmonica, and rudimentary guitar were a force of nature. Born in Mississippi, Wolf was in a sense a transitional figure who straddled the gap between the great pre-war musicians like Charley Patton and Son House and the later blues-influenced rock ‘n’ roll musicians like The Yardbirds and The Rolling Stones. He emigrated to Memphis in the early 1950’s where he cut some incendiary singles for Sun Records, before finally moving to the blues Mecca, Chicago, where he spent the remainder of his career. This four disc compilation tracks the master takes and a few alternates from from the first half of Wolf's nearly twenty year run at Chess Records. With bassist and composer Willie Dixon brought in as studio straw-boss and contributing songwriter, Howlin Wolf really hit his stride. Developing a stellar songbook that ranged from his first Chess single, the epochal "Moanin' At Midnight" backed with "How Many More Years," through classic Willie Dixon tunes: "Wang Dang Doodle," "Back Door Man" and "Spoonful." Wolf favorites "Evil," "Smokestack Lightnin'," "I Asked For Water," "Sittin' On Top Of The World" are also included. Accompanying this music is a 45-page booklet filled with photographs and liner essays from Peter Guralnick, and Dick Shurman. Much of the Wolf material was originally released as singles, and thusly has been packaged and re-packaged as music moved into the LP then CD mow MP3 era. While those new to Wolf’s music might be better served with a one disc overview, hardcore fans of the blues will be pleased with this well designed and comprehensive collection. Smokestack Lightning: Complete Chess Masters - amazon.com

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Darius Jones - Big Gurl (Smell My Dream) (AUM Fidelity, 2011)

2011-10-27T18:36:00.002-04:00

Since alto saxophonist Darius Jones moved north from Virginia to New York City in 2005, he has created quite a splash with his own work as a leader and sideman, and as part of the punk-jazz collective Little Women. Accompanied by his working band which consists of Adam Lane on bass and Jason Nazary on drums, the music has the spaciousness to move from bop-based jazz to free music, using space as a malleable entity. Jones uses his raw saxophone tone to develop texture and density to great effect on “E-Gaz” where ripe saxophone tone wails over thick bass and drums, building from medium up to strong trio, piercing saxophone, honks and squeals pealing, pure excitement. There is a feature for bowed bass and raw saxophone as a duet, very cool in developing an excellent synergy between their instruments. The trio develops as an organic entity, mindfully channelling their own transitory nature on “A Train.” Developing from fast rolling drums and keening saxophone developing an Ornette Coleman like feel of outstanding intensity and raw powerful punk-jazz, accented by a raw scraping bowed bass solo. The group is in the moment, playing with great compassion on “Michelle Heart Willie,” the closest the music comes to a traditional ballad with an almost romantic, longing emotional sax tone from Jones at a medium tempo improvisation and another excellent bass solo from Lane. While the music can be bracing in its intensity like on the set ending “Ol’ Metal Faced Bastard,” there are no theatrics in the music. The grow from the artifacts of music past, the emotional music of Mingus, Coltrane and Dolphy, and building them into a postmodern brew which bodes well for the future of jazz. Big Gurl (Smell My Dream) - amazon.com

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Kris Davis - Aeriol Piano (Clean Feed, 2011)

2011-10-26T15:26:00.003-04:00

The profile of pianist and composer Kris Davis has been rapidly rising in the jazz world. Recently the recipient of a glowing write-up in the New York Times and the leader or co-leader of several renowned groups, this is her first solo piano album. Davis has a fascinating and unique piano style which incorporates the entire keyboard and even the interior of the piano, making the most of her available possibilites. This album begins with a fascinating reconstruction of the standard “All the Things You Are” where she barely uses the melody and develops her own very unique take on a well-worn song. “Saturn” features depth charge like low bombs of notes, akin to a technique used by Matthew Shipp, and then plucking inside the piano, making it sound like an African stringed instrument. Alternating playing inside and outside the instrument, making for an extremely interesting and original concept. Going in the other direction, “A Different Kind of Sleep” is made up of spare probing at the keyboard contrasted by a lot of open space. “Good Citizen” and "Stone" have an open rolling feel with the music gaining momentum and freedom as it blossoms, moving gently with accents and touches. “Beam in the Eyes” hits hard with a complex musical Morse code of rattling shifting low notes and figures that is consistently interesting. It is easy to understand why Davis has garnered such attention by listening to this album. She has her own unique piano style and plays with a great sense of adventure and mystery. The colors and textures of her music suggest unlimited possibility. Aeriol Piano - amazon.com

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Muddy Waters - Electric Mud (Cadet/Chess, 1968)

2011-10-25T18:57:00.004-04:00

Released under the direction of the young second generation Chess Records producer Marshall Chess on the Cadet imprint, this album was designed to help the great bluesman Muddy Waters connect with the young, white audiences that were flocking to the psychedelic ballrooms like the Fillmore and Winterland in the late 1960's. Apparently is was a successful venture, purportedly selling in the neighborhood of 150,000 copies. Whom it was not popular with was the blues cognoscenti of the era. They found the psychedelic rock trappings and over-driven guitars as a pandering sell-out. But with fresh ears, it is easy to discover a lot of merit to this album. Muddy Waters plays a setlist of some his best known songs and one pop music cover, and he is singing as well as he ever had, albeit over the loudest group he had ever fronted. The power, braggadocio and sheer vitality of his voice and very presence lends credence to this project. While the musical backdrop was certainly different, Muddy Waters was no stranger to loud guitars and strong drumming, but the wild squalls of guitarist Pete Cosey (soon to become famous in Miles Davis' electric bands) and the busy arrangements do take some of the subtlety out of the music. But overall, it was a successful experiment and showed that Waters' music was adaptable to changing times and musical styles. The 1996 re-issue also has a lengthy liner essay and some fascinating photos of Muddy at the barbershop! Electric Mud - amazon.com

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Etta James - Heart and Soul: A Retrospective (Hip-O, 2011)

2011-10-24T18:31:00.002-04:00

Etta James was American singer who covered many genres, dabbling in jazz and rock 'n' roll while concentrating the bulk of her energies on blues and rhythm and blues. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had quite a bit of success and this four compact disc boxed set covers the majority of her most well known work. Taking songs from several labels including Modern, Argo, Chess, Warner Brothers, Fantasy, Island, Private Music, and RCA Records labels, the compilation covers music James made from made from 1955 until 2008. He most well known songs are prominently featured with tracks like "The Wallflower," "Good Rockin' Daddy," "W-O-M-A-N," and "All I Could Do Was Cry" staking out her spot as one of the most expressive singers of the era. Some interesting collaborative tracks are included as well, with James performing with the likes of B.B. King, Sugar Pie Desanto, Harvey Fuqua, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. The compilation includes a 60-page booklet with an extensive liner essay, discography and photographs. My favorite tracks from James came in a scalding live album from Chess called "Etta James Rocks the House" so it's nice to hear some of those again and reminded what a potent talent she was. Fans of vocals, be it rhythm and blues or straight up blues and standards would enjoy this set. Heart & Soul / A Retrospective - amazon.com

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Amir ElSaffar - Inana (Pi Recordings, 2011)

2011-10-23T06:50:00.001-04:00

Amir ElSaffar is an Iraqi-American trumpeter and vocalist. He is also a skilled interpreter of Iraqi maqam, which he sings and plays on the santur. Inana builds on those concepts influenced by Middle Eastern music, and improvised jazz music. The first eight tracks of the album make up the Inana Suite, named after and inspired by the ancient Middle Eastern goddess, whom inspired some of the compositions on this album. ElSaffar is joined on this multi-cultural adventure by a group he calls The Two Rivers Ensemble, composed of highly-skilled, creative musicians: Nasheet Waitson drums, Carlo DeRosa on bass, Tareq Abboushi on buzuq and saxophonist Ole Mathisen. The music deftly combines jazz and Middle Eastern music in a unique way, finding common ground in improvisation on the opening tracks, “Damuzi’s Dream” and “Venus, the Evening Star” which evoke desert landscapes with the combination of plucked instruments, trumpet and ricocheting drumwork. This becomes even more passionate in the suite that follows, “Inana’s Dance” which develops in multiple parts, using spaciousness and patience which allow the music to develop organically. This natural development is also clearly stated on the lengthy and episodic “Journey to the Underworld” which reveals its mysteries slowly and evolves into an evocative suite of its own. ElSaffar’s studies in both jazz and ethnic music have placed him in good stead to carve out a unique place in the current improvised music. His music and musicial concept is clearly evolving, and this is a very exciting development. Inana - amazon.com

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John Scofield - A Moment's Peace (Emarcy, 2011)

2011-10-22T16:49:00.003-04:00

Several years ago, guitarist John Scofield completed an interesting album called Quiet, a ballad based LP with Scofield playing mostly acoustic guitar and featuring guest appearances from Wayne Shorter. This new album moves back into ballad territory, but with Scofield sticking primarily to electric guitar, accompanied by a top notch trio consisting of Larry Goldings on piano and organ, Scott Colley on bass and Brian Blade on drums. The music consists of pleasant guitar with brushes and piano and light organ swirls with a focus on melody and accessibility. Scofield's sharp tinged yet mellow guitar borders on smooth jazz at times while never quite succumbing. Spaciousness is the key to the music, especially on the standard highlight "I Want to Talk About You" which suits the band well and features and excellent guitar solo, raining like mellow fire amongst the well adapted, yet tasteful backdrop. The gentle sting of the guitar is well played and works well here with an eye turned toward the familiar melody. Scofield even adds a an unaccompanied tag ending to the performance, much like John Coltrane did when he played this song on the Live at Birdland album. "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You" takes thing in a bluesy direction, building an atmospheric slow blues featuring melodic late-night guitar with swirling organ accents and tasteful drumming. A Moment's Peace - amazon.com

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Dead Cat Bounce - Chance Episodes (Cuneiform, 2011)

2011-10-21T11:40:00.003-04:00

Dead Cat Bounce is a stock market term, unusual for a jazz band, but no threat to our four legged felines. But nonetheless, their music is a wonderfully upbeat mixture of hard-bop and modern jazz with a four horn front line. Their music is exciting, full of exhilaration and humor which recalls if nothing else, the high energy splendor of Charles Mingus' classic recordings, or the great David Murray Octets. Dead Cat Bounce consists of Matt Steckler on saxophones and flute, Jared Sims on saxophones and clarinet, Terry Goss on saxophones, Charlie Kohlhase on saxophones, Dave Ambrosio on bass and Bill Carbone on drums. Opening with “Food Blogger,” the music, composed by Stecker, sets and upbeat and infectious tone. A raw, ripe saxophone solo and riffing horns give “Tourvan Confessin’” its power, while “Far From the Matty Crowd” features strong and powerful drumming that rattles and clanks cheerfully underneath the swirling horns. On “Salon Sound Journal,” soprano saxophone leads all the horns in the beginning, developing a World Saxophone Quartet type feel. Thick and muscular bass and drums enter to drive the punching horns that have accreted around a central soloing horn. A lighter sounding horn texture also develops the unusual and interesting structure of “Silent Movie, Russia 1995.” The music breaks out from the atmospheric medium tempo, building over bass and drums to a vigorous pace. “Salvation and Doubt” has flute enter the fray, developing a complex dynamic with saxophone. After a bass and drum interlude the horns are re-introduced, getting a fine little big band sound. “Township Jive Revisited” takes a different track entirely, with the funky bass and drums laying a deep foundation for the success of this track. This song and “Living the Dream” develop a funky strut featuring rolling drumwork and great collective teamwork. That Dead Cat Bounce is able to keep their sense of humor while being strong and supple musicians goes a long way toward explaining their success.This is an excellent disc by a band that deserves more attention. Chance Episodes - amazon.com

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Ornette Coleman - Something Else!!! (Contomporary, 1958, OJC 2011)

2011-10-20T00:24:00.005-04:00

Listening with today's ears it is sometimes hard to understand how controversial alto saxophonist and composer Ornette Coleman's music was during the first few years of his career. It's a testament to his perseverance and vision that was once radical has by now been so thoroughly absorbed into the jazz mainstream that it hardly raises an eyebrow. To say that Coleman scuffled before his break is an understatement: a brutal baptism by fire in Texas Rhythm and Blues bands and then slowly gathering like minded musicians in Los Angeles. But gather them he did, and attracted enough notoriety to be offered an album deal by the small Los Angels based label Contemporary Records. This is Ornette Coleman's first album, and he is accompanied by a couple of musicians that would play with him for much of his career, Don Cherry on trumpet and Billy Higgins on drums. Joining them are Don Payne on bass and Walter Norris on piano, one of the few times in Coleman's career that he would play with a pianist. The music definitely comes out of the bebop/hard bop mold with Coleman's beautifully tart and organic saxophone tone sounding like the direct descendant of Charlie Parker. "When Will The Blues Leave" is classic Coleman with deeply yearning feel that is haunting and very memorable. "Invisible" and "The Sphinx" are fascinating clues to the future direction Coleman's music would take, with extrapolations of raw saxophone and punches of sharp trumpet rotating around ever shifting drums. The only person who seems out of place is Norris, but he keeps his cool through the album, comping unobtrusively and occasionally soloing. This is a transitional album, but a very enjoyable one. All of the pieces that Coleman would fit together for his classic Atlantic Records recordings are begging to fall into place, and the music even at this early date sounds fresh and exploratory. Something Else!!! the Music of Ornette Coleman - amazon.com

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The Magic Band - 1: Oxford, UK - June 6, 2005 (Sundazed, 2011)

2011-10-19T10:43:00.007-04:00

Musical polymath Captain Beefheart my have left this mortal coil, but his music is more influential than ever. The Magic Band was the name of Beefheart's backing group and some members of that shifting group of musicians have reunited to play Beefheart's music, first on a studio album called Back to the Front and then a tour of Europe that resulted in this live album from the UK, recorded in 2005. Beefheart gave nicknames to most of his musicians and they are kept here, with the band being John "Drumbo" French on vocals, drums and harmonica, Denny "Feelers Reebo" Walley and Gary "Mantis" Lucas on guitars, Mark "Rockette Morton" Boston on bass and Michael Taylor on drums. French was an originally a drummer, but he is an extraordinary and charismatic front man and his Beefheart like growl is uncanny, like he is channeling the man himself. His deep powerful vocals dominate the first half of the concert, wailing through Beefheart classics like "Dropout Boogie," "Diddy Wah Diddy" and the ominous "When it Blows Its Stacks." The guitarists take charge on the second half of the concert, throwing off sparks and shards of music, with a couple of purely instrumental tracks, and providing the energy for early favorites like "Electricity." Everything comes together in the encore performance of "Mirror Man," where the band swirls and sways through some of the wildest music imaginable while French gasps and moans the lyrics. A fascinating ending to a potent and enjoyable album. Oxford UK June 6 2005 - amazon.com

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Point of Departure: Issue 36 - September 2011

2011-10-18T11:06:00.003-04:00

There is a new issue of the webzine Point of Departure available, with plentiful interviews, commentary and reviews.

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Blog link

2011-10-17T10:29:00.003-04:00

Don't miss Ethan Iverson's fascinating essay "From the Ground Up" on Do the Math. Excerpt:

The greatest jazz was created and nourished by locally-based African-American folklore. Some of the many musicians involved in that community were also possessed with the desire to innovate. Since it is easier to write about, many jazz critics -- especially white jazz critics -- have made more of the innovation than the folklore.

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Julius Hemphill - Dogon A.D. (Arista/Freedom 1972, 1977; International Phonograph, 2011)

2011-10-16T21:40:00.005-04:00

The Dogon tribe of Mali made an amazing discovery: they somehow knew without the aid of a telescope that the Dog Star Sirius had a small companion star, invisible to the human eye, a fact that wasn't verified by astronomers until the 1970's. Much like that mystery is this extraordinary album by saxophonist and composer Julius Hemphill, accompanied by Baikida E.J. Carroll on trumpet, Abdul Wadud on cello and Philip Wilson on drums. This beautifally enigmatic album has drifted in and out of print since its release. Given new life by this beautiful gatefold CD re-issue by International Phonograph. There are four lengthy performances on this album, the last one, "The Hard Blues" wasn't part of the original album, but was recorded at the same session, and fits in very well with the aestetic of the other tracks with Wadud's alternatingly droning and propulsive cello and Wilson's drums providing the ideal launching pad for Hemphill's vividly tart saxophone and Carrol's punchy rejoinders and Hamiet Bluiett sitting in on baritone saxophone. Hemphill switches to flute on "The Painter" playing with a lithe beauty the brings the title to life. The first two tracks, the extraordinary "Dogon A.D." and "Rites" are classics of the loft jazz era, with the otherworldly bowing of Wadud making for a mystical and hypnotic setting that sets the musicians in motion for very creative flights of fancy. It is great to see this important album, one of the great jazz albums of the 1970's, back in print again. Anyone interested in adventurous and exciting jazz music will be thrilled. This is truly a model re-release, with great care taken to the music and the presentation and it is a first rate and classy job all around. Dogon A.D. - amazon.com

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Possible break

2011-10-16T13:20:00.002-04:00

Might try to take a little break from blogging for a while. Things are not going well. I deeply regret and apologize to anyone I have let down because of my failure.

Side A - A New Margin (Clean Feed, 2011)

2011-10-15T16:07:00.005-04:00

One needs a continuous RSS feel all its own to keep up with the number of projects saxophonist, clarinetist and composer Ken Vandermark is involved in these days. This is a comparatively new project, a collaborative one featuring Vandermark with Havard Wiik on piano and Chad Taylor on drums. It is interesting to hear Vandermark playing in a group with a pianist, and a bassless one no less. But it works really well, and the music is consistently fresh and interesting, drawing its inspiration from the "free-bop" of the late 1960's and adding thoroughly modern touches and flourishes. They come out of the gate hard with the pugilistic "Boxer" and "What Is Is." Vandermark cycles through a variety of horns throughout the album, creating a variety which is attuned to the nature of the music whether the uptempo tunes mentioned above or the slower and more abstract "Arborization" or "Permanent Sleeve (Walking Hand)." On these performances, the trio slows the pace, and allows the music to develop in an abstract, organic manner. The finish strong with the pulsing "Giacometti" bringing them full circle to the hot blooded fast and nimble jazz they began with. Vandermark is his usual excellent self through the album, giving his all whatever the instrument or the setting. Wiik, a member of the excellent Scandinavian jazz band Atomic, and Chad Taylor who is ubiquitous on the Chicago jazz scene are with him step for step, turning what could have been a soloist with accompaniment record into a true trio conversation. This was a consistently enjoyable and interesting album. The group plays with considerable passion and brings an air of freshness and joy to the proceedings. A New Margin - amazon.com

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Bill Laswell, Raoul Bjorkenheim and Morgan Agren - Blixt (Cuneiform, 2011)

2011-10-14T14:13:00.005-04:00

Blixt, the jazz fusion/progressive rock trio of Bill Laswell on bass, Raoul Bjorkenheim on guitar and Morgan Agren is a powerful one filled with tricky lead statements and intricate improvisational sections. Laswell is famous as a legendary producer and musician on the “downtown” improvisational scene in New York city, while Bjorkenheim, late of Finland (an improvisational hotbed all its own filled with great composers and musicians) has had his profile rise with tenures in the fusionesque band Krakatau and The Scorch Trio as well as an excellent disc he cut in the company of the great rhythm team of William Parker and Hamid Drake. The trio jumps right out of the gate, going for the throat with “Black Whole” developing a fast and torrid cosmological groove that threatens to engulf the musicians in energy. They shift gears into the percussion centered interlude “Moon Tune” speaking of a lunar influence that casts a diffuse blue light over the proceedings. “Shifting Sands Closing Hour “ and “Ghost Strokes” take the musicians to a more abstract direction, developing spooky landscapes of smeared guitar and drums with rumbling, ominous bass underneath. The group drops it back into overdrive with “Drill Beats” “Storm” and “4-4-4-4-2-2-2-5-2.” These are short tracks of great intensity, where the group is able to stop and turn on a dime almost telepathically, The Ramones of intricate jazz fusion, hit hard and fast and take no prisoners. Despite the complexity of the music, it remains quite listenable and enjoyable for a wide range of music fans. Whether a fan of punk rock, jazz fusion or progressive rock, there is something for everyone here. Blixt - amazon.com

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The Jeff Gauthier Goatette - Open Source (Cryptogramophone, 2011)

2011-10-13T18:06:00.006-04:00

Violinist and composer Jeff Gauthier wears a diverse array of hats in the jazz and improvised music world. Founder of the well-regarded Cryptogrampohone record label, and an in demand producer, he still finds time to record his own music. Gauthier states that his vision of Open Source means drawing from a diverse well of creativity, and he has assembled a fine crew for the achievement of this mission. He is joined by John Fumo on trumpet, Nels Cline on guitar, David Witham on keyboards, piano, and accordion, Joel Hamilton on bass, and Alex Cline on drums and percussion. The music is a diverse mix of electric and acoustic performances, with sketches that develop into flavorful improvisations. They can be fast and wild, and also develop abstract and spooky vibes as well. “40 Lashes (With Mascara)” is a fascinating opener, coming on strong as contemporary classical music meeting jazz fusion and progressive rock. They come together like chocolate and peanut butter with a smoky trumpet interlude and strong drumming jumping to inspired progressive fusion. Nels Cline throws some snarling wicked guitar into the mix combining nastily with electronics and drums. “From a Rainy Night” and “Things Past” show the group’s gentle side with fine ballad playing featuring acoustic guitar, violin and delicate brushes. Guitarist Nels Cline blasts off for the stratosphere on “Prelude to a Bite,” channeling his whiplash musical sensibility into the groups identity. The album’s final track “Open Source” blends all of the group’s diverse components into an extraordinary fourteen plus minute suite. This was a very well done album, which brings together a like minded group of open-eared musicians to create an album that is exploratory, yet accessible. Open Source - amazon.com

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Matthew Shipp and Joe Morris - Broken Partials (Not Two, 2011)

2011-10-12T11:55:00.003-04:00

Pianist Matthew Shipp and bassist and guitarist Joe Morris have been long time compatriots on the improvised music scene, but I believe that may be the first time they have recorded in the duet configuration ( at least with Morris sticking strictly to bass.) It works very well, with Morris adhering to acoustic bass and Shipp’s wonderful keyboard technique that makes use of the entire instrument. The music develops in a an eight part suite of improvised music, occasionally developing a chamber quality, but most often like being a fly on the wall as two talented musicians have a deep and thoughtful conversation. Joe Morris alternates between bowed and plucked bass adroitly allowing the music to become deeply textured as Shipp alternately drops bombs from the lower end of the keyboard as the music ebbs and flows like the tide. This album worked very well as both musicians were locked into each other and performing at a very high level. Highly recommended for fans of spontaneous (and near telepathic) improvised music. Broken Partials - amazon.com

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Books: Feast Day of Fools by James Lee Burke (Simon and Schuster, 2011)

2011-10-11T06:00:00.001-04:00

Feast Day Of Fools by James Lee Burke

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

James Lee Burke returns to the saga of small town sheriff Hackberry Holland and the windswept plains of southwest Texas in this evocative and beautifully written work of crime fiction. A man is tortured to death in the desert while the person he was chained to escapes. Wanted by the law, terrorists and criminals this man runs into the desert where he hooks up with Holland's nemesis, the psychopathic killer "Preacher" Jack Collins. Meanwhile, an enigmatic woman is helping Mexican workers cross the border as part of a modern-day underground railroad while being harassed by a xenophobic pretend reverend and other criminal elements. Burke weaves these seemingly diverse threads into a coherent story that slowly comes together for a dramatic showdown at the hideout of an international criminal. Mortal enemies Holland and Collins must make an uneasy compromise to take on a common enemy. This is another excellent story from James Lee Burke, who seems incapable of writing a bad novel. All of his classic attributes are here: a morally torn hero who despises war and violence despite being a decorated war veteran and quick draw sheriff. The development of fellow characters is fascinating as well, with the sociopath Collins drawn between acts of unbridled mayhem and the thoughts and memories that continually torture him from the inside. Burke makes beautiful observations about the folly and stupidity of warfare, and the fallible nature of human beings in this excellent story. Feast Day of Fools: A Novel - amazon.com

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Books: Headstone by Ken Bruen (Mysterious Press, 2011)

2011-10-10T10:18:00.001-04:00

Headstone: A Jack Taylor Novel by Ken Bruen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jack Taylor is back! I am thrilled to no end to see one of my favorite crime fiction series continue, because with the amount of abuse and torment Jack receives in each book, I expect it to be his last. This time the drug addicted, demon haunted, alcoholic unlicensed private eye faces one of his toughest foes. A group called Headstone, inspired by the Columbine massacre, decides to rid Galway of what they consider undesirables: priests, homosexuals, the developmentally disabled and alcoholics. After Jack is kidnapped and mutilated by this group, he vows revenge... the only way he knows how. Jack also gets a side gig, helping the church, whom he has a love/hate relationship with, and that eventually results in him losing another friend. The conclusion, where Jack and his friends Ridge and Stewart meet Headstone for the final climactic scene is apocalyptic and harrowing. This was a fantastic novel in one of the best series going in contemporary crime fiction. Jack Taylor is such a compelling character, that whatever happens, you can't stop rooting for him and be simultaneously repulsed and fascinated by his deeds. As always, Bruen makes the city of Galway, Ireland a major character in the story. The landmarks, the people and the financial disaster that came in the wake of the Celtic Tiger are the backdrop for this extraordinary story. Headstone - amazon.com

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Interesting articles

2011-10-09T14:54:00.003-04:00

Ethan Iverson interviews Mickey Roker for the Do the Math blog.
Hank Shteamer has a lengthy review of the new Miles Davis Live in 1967 set for Pitchfork.
Decanting (cerebral) looks back at some fine jazz recordings from the 1980's.
Destination-Out welcomes in the Jewish new year with a selection of Masada recordings.
Adventure-Equation points to some Sun Ra mixtapes available for download.
George Colligan reminisces about touring with jazz singer Cassandra Wilson.
The New York Times Ben Ratliff sheds light on up and coming jazz pianists.

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Music and More

Ted Rosenthal Trio - Out of This World (Playscape, 2011)

Charles Mingus - Black Saint And The Sinner Lady/Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (Impulse 2-on-1) (Impulse, 2012)

Books: John Connolly; Tom Piccirilli

Alice Coltrane - Huntington Ashram Monastery / World Galaxy (Impulse 2-on-1) (Impulse, 2012)

Books: Tom Piccirilli

Daunik Lazro, Jean-Francois Pauvros, Roger Turner - Curare (NoBusiness, 2011)

Chick Corea with Eddie Gomez and Paul Motian - Further Explorations (Concord, 2012)

Books: Love Goes to Buildings on Fire by Will Hermes

Mockuno NuClear - Drop It (No Business, 2011)

Marty Ehrlich's Rites Quartet - Frog Leg Logic (Clean Feed, 2011)

Steve Lacy Quintet - Follies (FMP, 1978)

Bill Frisell Playlist

Marilyn Crispell - Pianosolo: A Concert in Berlin (FMP, 1983)

Jazz and Blues: Sam Rivers, Eric Dolphy and Booker Little, Howlin' Wolf

Rhapsody's 2011 Jazz Critics' Poll

Books: Every Dead Thing by John Connolly

Dexter Gordon - The Complete Columbia Recordings (Sony/Popmarket, 2011)

Links

Tom Waits - Bad As Me (Anti/Epitaph, 2011)

Interesting articles

The Best of Herbie Hancock (Blue Note, 1990)

Various Artists - Miles Espanol (Entertainment One Music, 2011)

Books: Beautiful, Naked and Dead by Josh Stallings

David Murray Octets - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint and Soul Note (Black Saint/Soul Note, 2011)

Words about music

The Joe Harriott Story (Proper Records, 2011)

Books: Two-Way Split by Allan Guthrie

Sam Rivers

The Black Keys - El Camino (Nonesuch, 2011)

Something Else by The Kinks {Deluxe Edition} (Pye, 1967; Sanctuary, 2011)

Weasel Walter - Ominous Telepathic Mayhem (ugExplode, 2011)

Best of 2011, Part III: Top ten new releases for 2011

William Hooker Trio - Yearn for Certainty (Engine Records, 2010)

Best of 2011, Part II: Historical Releases

Books: Joe R. Lansdale; Tom Piccrilli

Tony Malaby - Novela - arr. by Kris Davis (Clean Feed, 2011)

Best of 2011, Part 1: Books

Bryan and the Haggards - Still Alive and Kicking Down the Walls (Hot Cup, 2011)

Nils Petter Molvaer - Baboon Moon (Thirsty Ear, 2011)

Full Blast and Friends - Sketches and Ballads (Trost Records, 2011)

Tim Ries Quintet - Live at Smalls (Smalls Live, 2011)

Crate Diggin' Box Me Up Part 2

Crate diggin: box me up

Books: Tom Piccirilli

Saxophones: Greg Ward, David Murray

Kidd Jordan - On Fire (Engine, 2011)

Andrew Cyrille with Haitian Fascination - Route De Freres (TUM Records, 2011)

More Interesting Links

Books: Tom Piccirilli

It's the End of the Year as We Know It (and I feel anxious...)

FAB Trio - History of Jazz in Reverse (TUM Records, 2011)

Blog Posts: Ethan Iverson; Nicholas Payton

Books: Terry Pratchett, Bill Maher

Jurg Wickihalder European Quartet feat. Irene Schweizer - Jump! (Intakt, 2011)

Bernstein/Goldings/Stewart - Live at Smalls (Smalls Live, 2011)

Steve Reid, Kieran Hebden and Mats Gustafsson - Live at the South Bank (Smalltown Superjazz, 2011)

Cuneiform: Sao Paulo Underground; Mats/Morgan Band

Blues: Elmore James

Piano: Sunna Gunnlaugs; Dred Scott Trio

Trumpets: Wadada Leo Smith; Corey Wilkes

Paul Motian

Music Listening: Samuel Blaser, Atomic, R.E.M.

Books: Choke Hold By Christa Faust

The Who - Quadrophenia- The Director's Cut (Super Deluxe Edition) (Geffen, 2011)

Jason Adasiewicz - Spacer (Delmark, 2011)

Books: Black Light by Patrick Melton, st. al.

MSMW Live: In Case The World Changes Its Mind

Ivo Perelman - The Hour of the Star (Leo Records, 2011)

Books: The Affair by Lee Child

November Podcast

Jason Stein Quartet - The Story This Time (Delmark, 2011)

Rez Abbasi - Suno Suno (Enja, 2011)

David S. Ware - Organica (Solo Saxophones, Volume 2) (AUM Fidelity, 2011)

John Escreet - Exception to the Rule (Criss Cross, 2011)

Rudresh Mahanthappa - Samdhi (ACT, 2011)

Opus 5 - Introducing Opus 5 (Criss Cross, 2011)

Books: Damned by Chuck Palahniuk

News and Notes

Joe Cohn - Fuego (Criss Cross, 2011)